


RWBY: The New Sisterhood

by MusingsFromMars



Category: RWBY
Genre: Action/Adventure, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Future, Angst, Canon Lesbian Relationship, Canon Non-Binary Character, Don't copy to another site, Drama, F/F, F/M, Romance, Ruby Drinks a Lot, Ruby Swears a Lot, Trans Female Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-22
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2019-11-03 16:04:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 35,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17880887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusingsFromMars/pseuds/MusingsFromMars
Summary: Looking back on the past five years, Ruby was not proud of herself. She had failed her friends and family in so many ways. Now 21 years old, she has lost her innocence. With a flask in her pocket and two scythes on her back, she works as a shady Huntress in Mistral's Lower Levels. However, when she meets a Faunus girl with the powers of a Maiden, her mission suddenly changes.





	1. Prologue

**Haven Ruins, Mistral**

Storm clouds were beginning to roll in as Ruby Rose weaved between fallen pillars and shattered stone. The memories were still fresh in her mind. It hurt to be here, yet she always returned. When she sat idle for too long, she would get the urge to come back to what was once Haven Academy.

The Fall of Beacon was a memory forever etched in Ruby's mind, the Fall of Haven even more so. She could still hear the sound of flames roaring, towers crumbling. It was so profound standing there now, the only sound being the wind tugging at her hood. The place was a source of so many emotions. Ruby always felt like part of her was forever trapped there, for more reasons than one.

She continued walking through the debris until reaching a small metal monument. Etched on the face of the iron panel, below a emblem of gears and a wing:

_Qrow Branwen_

_Sentry of Guidance_

Ruby smiled at the simple memorial. She took a knee in front of it, setting down her bag. From the bag, she pulled out a half-empty bottle of whiskey and two glasses. "Hey Uncle Qrow." She greeted, tugging the cork off the bottle. "Sorry it's been a while. It's been pretty busy in the city." She filled both glasses halfway, then sat the bottle aside. She sat one of the glasses on the iron box, taking the other for herself. She sighed, looking at her glass. "I know you never wanted me or Yang to drink, but hey, if it makes you feel any better, I'm way more responsible about it than you ever were." She chuckled before taking a small sip. She cleared her throat. "You're really missing out. Our new school is actually coming along pretty well. I mean, it's not much. It's just a two-story hotel, but a school's a school. The students practice fighting out near the lakeside. Nora, Ren and Jaune are pretty good teachers, believe it or not." She took another sip. "I sometimes kinda want to try out the whole teaching thing, but I don't think I'd be good enough for it, you know?" The wind suddenly blew her hood from her head, pushing her back a little bit. She resituated herself, sitting cross-legged on the ground. "Being a Huntress is different from how I dreamed it would be. I guess you were right when you told me it was all a business. I guess that means I'm good at it. I make some good money." She chuckled. "Don't worry, I don't waste it on fancy drinks. Just the generic stuff you always liked." She eyed her drink, swirling the brown liquid around before lifting it to her mouth and downing it. He exhaled as she sat the empty glass down. "Just this past week I helped take down an illegal Dust black market in Mistral's underbelly. Pretty epic if you ask me. I got a few free Gravity Dust cartridges out of the deal too." She began to whisper. "Between you and me, I stole them." She chuckled, then sighed. She watched as the storm clouds continued to approach, lightning flashing but making no noise yet. Her hand instinctively went to her glass, only for her to remember it was empty. She huffed, trying to decide whether to put it away or refill it. She chose the latter.

After pouring another serving for herself and taking a drink, she coughed a couple times before continuing. "I heard Yang and Blake are enjoying working in Menagerie. Yang says it's like Patch, only hotter and more crowded." Ruby chuckled a bit. "They really do seem happy together, despite everything." She took another drink. "I'm really happy for them. Oh, and Wiess and Winter are leaders of their own academy in Atlas. I mean, Atlas isn't what it used to be, thanks to the White Fang, but they're still holding out. Weiss told me they dissolved the Schnee Dust Company. Like, they sold off each mine and factory to independent operators! Isn't that crazy? I bet you would've definitely enjoyed a world with no SDC. Dust prices have never been so low. Makes our jobs a bit easier." Ruby chuckled. She finished off her second drink. "I should probably stop there." She told herself before putting away the glass in her bag.

She sighed, hearing thunder begin to rumble in the sky. She knew she'd have to head back home soon. "Uncle Qrow, I'm doing as you said. I'm looking after the Summer Maiden. As far as I know, me, Jaune, Ren and Nora are the only ones here who know about her powers. I'm doing my best to train her, but she's not catching on very quick. I'm honestly not too worried. She's capable, just...unsure of herself. But she knows she's safe with me." Ruby sniffed. "We'll get to Vacuo soon enough."

A sudden crack of thunder made Ruby jump. Rain began to fall. "Crap. I guess I should get going." She stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder. She took the glass of whiskey designated for Qrow and raised it. "I'll come back soon, I promise." She poured out the alcohol on the ground before stowing the glass away in her bag. She then began to leave the ruins, flipping her hood back over her head.


	2. Followers

**Chapter 1: Followers**

Much to Ruby's displeasure, the rain did not let up in time for her meeting. She would have brought an umbrella, but the wind blowing through made it useless. All she could do was trek through the watery paths of Mistral's higher levels, doing her best to see in the dark.

Above the many cliff faces and waterfalls was the new Mistral CCT Tower. It had been constructed by Atlas not long after the Fall of Haven. The three CCT Towers in Atlas, Vacuo, and Mistral could now operate even with the Vale Tower down, as it was apparent Vale was riddled with too many Grimm to maintain a Tower. The facility was highly guarded at night (and during the day at that), but was open at night to certain important persons, such as public officials and Huntsmen, like Ruby.

It was a half-hour past midnight. This time of night was always quiet in the Upper Levels, which was why these meetings always took place so late. It was kind of a pain, losing so much sleep just for their weekly meeting, but the fewer people who knew about their meetings, the better.

Ruby soon reached the grand staircase that led up to the tower's main entrance. By now she was nearly soaked, her black jeans clinging to her legs, her feet squishing in her boots.

She stared up the staircase and groaned. "Definitely not footing this." She grumbled to herself. She put her leg back and prepared her Semblance. Her heart rate skyrocketed, and in the blink of an eye, she burst into rose petals and reappeared at the top of the staircase. She stood there frozen for a few seconds, realizing she overdid it. She had managed to push the limits of her Semblance with years of practice, to the point where her movements could rival the speed of light. The draw back to it was traveling at such a speed would seriously affect her, just as it did now. When she "Light Jumped", as she called it, she would be temporarily unable to move upon stopping, and not just her muscles. Her heart would stop for a few seconds, then rapidly return to life. It was a terrible feeling, and Ruby knew she should only use it in life-or-death moments. In this case, she simply got carried away.

Once she "unfroze", she fell to her knees, gasping for air. Reflex tears fell down her face, her hand pressed against her chest. "Fucking...fuck." She cursed, forehead against the ground.

"Ma'am! Are you okay?!"

Ruby glanced toward the voice to see a security guard running towards her. She continued to gasp for air, waving her hand towards the woman. "I'm fine!" She coughed. "Just Hustress stuff."

"Do you need help?" The guard asked, kneeling next to Ruby.

Ruby felt her heart begin to calm, finally. She glanced at the guard again and sighed. "A little help up?"

The guard put Ruby's arm around her shoulders and lifted her to her feet. Ruby found her bearings and and thanked the guard before gingerly walking up to the front entrance. She scanned her Scroll at the kiosk, which allowed her to enter the Tower.

As she approached the front desk, leaving water puddles behind her, a holographic image of a young man appeared. "Hello. Welcome to the New Mistral CCT Tower. It appears you have requested access to a private communication desk. Please take this key to room B3 just downstairs." From a slot on the desk emerged a credit card sized key. Ruby grabbed it and left for the downward staircase, disregarding whatever else the hologram dude had to say.

Like usual, it was eerily quiet in the Tower. Ruby always felt a tad bit paranoid every time she came here at night, but she kept on. She was more frustrated with her aching chest and soaked clothing.

She found room B3 and swiped her key. The door slid open, revealing a small room with a monitor, desk and desk chair. She stepped inside, and the door slid shut behind her. She immediately shed her soaked jacket and red tank top, leaving only a black sports bra on her chest. Normally she wouldn't be so brave, but she was borderline pissed at the weather and herself, so she didn't really care right now. She pulled a flask from her jacket and plopped herself down in the chair. She took a drink and sat in silence for a moment. She looked down at her poor posture and at her flask and huffed. "Gods, I _am_ turning into Qrow." She coughed, putting her hand to her heart. Still beating fast, but slowing.

The monitor had been lit up the whole time, displaying "Welcome! Please enter a contact number." Ruby punched in the number, then sat there waiting for the connection to go through.

She stared at the loading screen for what seemed like a few seconds too long, then on the screen appeared two video feeds. On one showed the face of Blake Belladonna, and on the other showed Winter and Weiss Schnee.

"Last one here again." Weiss said, seemingly annoyed, yet she was smiling.

"Shove it." Ruby grumbled, trying not to smile back, but failing.

"Ruby, why are you shirtless?" Blake asked, visibly concerned.

"It's raining like hell outside." Ruby explained. "I'm soaked."

"Maybe consider an umbrella?" Weiss asked. Winter was being pointedly quiet, though she seemed amused.

"Who's to say I didn't just want an excuse to be shirtless?" Ruby took another drink. "If I'm a distraction–"

"Let's just start the meeting." Weiss interjected.

Ruby snorted a laugh. "Not a distraction, got it." She drank once again.

She heard Winter chuckle. "You take after your uncle."

"And your sister." Blake added jokingly.

Ruby laughed. "Thanks." She straightened up and rested her arms on the desk. "So where's Yang?"

"Out shopping." Blake said.

"Shopping?" Weiss asked. "What time is it in Menagerie?"

"11:30." Blake explained. "She said she needed more shampoo, but tomorrow's our anniversary and she definitely forgot about a gift until now." She chuckled.

Ruby smiled. "Congrats you two."

"Yeah, four years now?" Weiss asked.

"Yep." Blake nodded rather proudly.

"How romantic." Winter said. "Even after all that's happened, you two prove there's still good in the world."

Blake chuckled, blushing. "Weiss has really rubbed off on you, Winter."

"Sappy snowflakes, both of you." Ruby quipped, smirking.

"Hey!" The Schnee sisters both protested, making Blake and Ruby laugh. "I've just managed to..." Winter began, searching for the words, "Relax?"

"Since quitting the military, my sister has enjoyed the freedom, I guess you could say." Weiss explained.

"I can relate." Blake nodded. "Thank you, Winter."

"Of course." The former Specialist nodded with a smile.

"This is fun and stuff, but last I checked, this isn't a book club." Ruby interjected. "I have points to discuss, if that's alright."

Wiess scoffed. "Who put you in charge?"

"Ozpin put me in charge." Ruby declared flatly.

Silence fell over them, the name hanging above them for a few forlorn moments. Ruby awaited a response.

"I also have things to discuss, but you can start, Ruby." Blake offered.

"Thank you." Ruby nodded, setting her flask down on the desk. "Soul is still questioning her role, so to speak."

"'Questioning her role'?" Winter asked.

"Doubting herself." Ruby elaborated.

"What exactly has she said?" Blake asked.

"Things like 'I never wanted power like this'," Ruby told them. "I don't think she's a flight risk. I just want to make sure she can maintain focus on her training."

"Well, you've always been good at encouraging others." Blake told her. "Just talk to her about it I guess?"

"I don't know. She seems to _really_ doubt herself, and it'll only get worse for her once I finally explain our Vacuo plan to her. I'm honestly worried about her." Ruby exhaled through her nose slowly. "I'm considering maybe giving her a short break from her training. Let her spread her wings a bit."

"It's too risky to let her go off on her own." Winter told Ruby. "Even if no one knows who she is, something could still happen."

"I would tail her, from a distance, to protect her." Ruby promised. "I just want her to know she can still have freedom, but only if she can continue to get stronger."

"Giving Maidens freedom isn't exactly easy." Weiss pointed out. "I agree we can't just shelter them forever, but they can't wander around where anyone could hurt them, try to rob them, pretty much any situation where she might impulsively use her powers."

"I think she understands the 'don't use your powers in public' part pretty well," Ruby told her, finishing off what was left in her flask. "I'm pretty sure she doesn't want anyone to know, just as much as we don't."

"I agree you should give her a break," Blake affirmed.

"Do keep an eye on her though," Weiss pleaded. Ruby could tell neither she, nor Winter, were quite on board with the idea, but they didn't protest.

"I'll keep an eye out." Ruby promised, tossing her flask to her pile of wet clothes. She cleared her throat. "Blake, your points of concern?"

Blake nodded. "Me and Yang are planning to maintain an all-night watch in five days. Another fire occurred last night, and since these fires always occur five days apart, we figure looking for the culprit five days from now is our best bet."

"It could be a White Fang thing." Ruby suggested.

Blake shook her head. "There's zero evidence of White Fang activity in Menagerie. The people here are very anti-Fang. Attacking Kuo Kuana would only make the White Fang even more unpopular."

"Is the dry weather to blame?" Weiss asked.

"These fires seem deliberate." Blake shook her head. "The first occurred when a cargo ship came ashore completely engulfed in flames, then about twenty acres of farmland burned in the next. This fire happened in a neighborhood near the edge of the Western Desert. No one was hurt, but it's obvious these fires are no accident."

Winter hummed quizzically. "Well whatever you learn from your stake out, let us know of what occurs."

"Will do." Blake nodded. "So what's up in Atlas?"

Winter and Weiss glanced at each other, giving Ruby and Blake cause for concern. It was a few seconds before Winter spoke. "We suspect that a herd of water-bound Grimm will soon attack Atlas' Southern Glaciers."

"Glaciers?" Ruby asked.

"Indeed." Winter nodded. "These glaciers have been deteriorating in recent years, and our concern is with the Dust mines nearby. If the glaciers are breached, some of the largest mines in Atlas will be flooded."

"Why would _she_ want to destroy Dust mines?" Blake asked, visibly frustrated.

"Huntsmen and Huntresses are limited in their abilities if they have no use of Dust." Weiss explained.

"No shit, but what impact would destroying a few mines really make?" Ruby interjected. "There are hundreds" she coughed, "of mines all around the world."

"But most of the world's Water Dust comes from Atlas." Winter told her. "You can guess why losing Water Dust is particularly concerning to the two of us."

Ruby thought about that for a moment. "Well, all that tells us is she is after our Dust. The mines and factories need more security."

"Security can't stop a flood." Winter deadpanned.

"I mean mines and factories in general." Ruby grumbled. "As far as your problem with the water-bound Grimm, my best idea would be to just try to take 'em all out before they attack."

"More and more would replace them." Weiss told her.

"Perhaps you could construct a moat of some sort?" Blake suggested. "To divert the water away from the mines?"

Winter and Weiss seemed to consider the idea. "That might work, if it can be done in time."

Ruby chuckled. "Blake always seems to have better ideas than me."

"Perhaps because she doesn't carry around a flask everywhere." Weiss teased.

"Hey! I consider that a personal attack. I'm an independent adult female. If I want to drink vodka while soaking wet and shirtless, I will."

"And if I want to call you out on it, I will." Weiss shot back. "O fearless leader."

"Don't make me come to Atlas and kick your–"

"Girls!" Winter interrupted. "Handle your banter some other time."

"It is late after all." Blake added.

Ruby sighed and nodded, then she smirked. "Yeah. I can feel the sexual tension through this screen, Weiss."

The younger Schnee tensed up and turned beet red. "Excuse you! Ruby Rose, if I were there right now, I'd–"

"Don't finish that sentence." Ruby halted her, snickering. "I can tell where this is going."

"You're drunk, aren't you?" Winter accused.

"I cannot feel my pinky fingers." Ruby answered bluntly, holding her hands up and flexing her fingers.

Blake burst out laughing, which surprised the others. "You're so much like your sister." She declared.

"Thanks." Ruby nodded to her. "I think it's bedtime."

"Call someone to come walk you home." Weiss told her.

Ruby coughed. "Good idea." Ruby stood from her chair and went to her jacket. She yanked out her Scroll and dialed a number. Her friends watched as she held the device to her ear. "Hey, you! You should come to the CCT...yes I am...nah, it's cool. I'll protect you...thanks a bunch. See you here! Buh-bye!" She tossed her Scroll back on her jacket and sat back down. "Soul is on her way."

"Wait, you called Soul?!" Weiss exclaimed.

"We just told you she shouldn't be out on her own!" Winter protested.

"I'm sensing hostility." Ruby mumbled.

"Ruby." Blake said simply, shooting her a hard look.

"You drunken dolt! Call her back and tell her to stay home!" Weiss demanded.

"Oh, that reminds me." Ruby stood to her feet. When she returned to the screen, she was holding another flask. "I brought two."

"You're hopeless." Weiss snapped.

"Damn, harsh. I don't need your negativity." She reached towards the monitor.

"Ruby, don't hang up!" Blake yelled.

"Call Soul and–" before Winter could finish, the screen went blank. Ruby had cut the feed. "Sheesh, drama queens." She stood and took a swig from her second flask, then gathered her damp garments and left the room, not bothering to get dressed. The building was still as empty as it had been when she had arrived. She trekked back up to the main floor and left the building.

The rain had died down a bit. It was still coming down, but it didn't bother Ruby at that point. The same guard who had helped Ruby after her Light Jump earlier stood outside. She gave Ruby a weird look as the Huntress left. "Uhh, ma'am?"

"I have an escort coming." Ruby told her.

"Do you need...an umbrella?" The guard asked, visibly taken aback by Ruby's behavior and lack of upper body clothing.

"I'm enjoying nature." Ruby answered. She scanned her surroundings, coughing a couple times. "Hey, have you seen a girl, like..." She suddenly yawned, then sat down on a nearby bench. "She's like, I dunno. She's cute, honestly, but like..." She leaned back and propped her leg up on the arm rest. "You know what I mean?"

"Have you been drinking tonight, ma'am?" The guard asked her.

"A tad." Ruby answered. "Don't worry though, you wouldn't know it just by looking at me. I'm good at hiding it." She rubbed her eye. "Why do you ask?"

"Do you need help getting home?" The guard asked.

"I told you, I have a friend coming to get me. She's like, about yea high, she's got ears...like, tiger ears. Of courses she has ears, duh, but like she has the tiger ones and the human ones. She's a Faunus, tiger Faunus. She has stripes, the ears. Pretty cool, like, woah, don't mess with her. She's pretty cool though."

"Ma'am..." The guard said lowly, at a loss.

"Pretty good looking, honestly. Like, seriously though. Don't tell her that, she'd get all embarrassed, but like..." Her Scroll rang. Ruby glanced at it. "Aww, Weiss is worried about me." She ignored the call, then turned back to the guard. "Anyway, she...what was I saying, oh yeah!" She cleared her throat. "She has ears, but like–"

"R-Ruby?"

Ruby choked on her breath for a moment. She stood to her feet and saw the girl she'd been waiting for. She had just reached the top of the grand staircase, a black umbrella over her head. Just as Ruby had described her, her dark striped ears poked out above her dark orange hair, doing her best to keep them dry. Black stripes framed her cheeks and encircled her neck and arms, her light brown skin combining with them beautifully. Her cyan eyes darted between Ruby and the guard. "Uhh, are you okay?"

"Soul!" Ruby exclaimed. "When did you get here?"

Soul chuckled nervously, gripping her umbrella with both hands. She glanced at Ruby's wad of clothes draped on her arm. "Uh, just now." She told her. "Why did you need me to come walk you home?"

"I've been told I seem to be impaired, I guess." Ruby explained. She turned to the guard and bowed. "Thank you for your service." She then walked past Soul and began down the stairs.

Soul noticed the guard looking at her. "Do you...got her okay?" The guard asked.

Soul looked as Ruby gingerly stepped down each stair. She sighed, smiling sheepishly. "I think so. Thanks for looking out or her." And with that, she ran and caught up with Ruby.

Soul immediately grabbed Ruby's free arm. "Slow down. You're close to losing your balance." She moved the umbrella so it would cover both of them.

Ruby glanced at her. "I like your outfit."

Soul looked down at herself. She wore a light blue T-shirt, black shorts and plain sneakers on her feet. Not an outfit Soul was expecting to be complimented on. "Uhh, thank you?"

"You gonna get me home safe?" Ruby asked, grinning at the Summer Maiden for no apparent reason.

Soul chuckled. She blushed a bit. "Isn't it your job to keep me safe?"

"Yeah, but I'm a little out of it." Ruby admitted.

"You're drunk, aren't you." Soul said knowingly.

"Yeah." Ruby nodded. "And I'm pretty pissed at myself because of it." She said straight-up.

"Don't be." Soul patted her arm.

"I got soaked on my way here. That's why I'm partly-halfway naked." Ruby explained. "Hope I didn't embarrass you."

"How would you embarrass me?" Soul asked.

"I dunno. You seemed embarrassed when you saw me. I figured you were surprised by my lack of decency."

Soul chuckled. "Well, you usually don't surprise me. You're so...fun."

"You mean crazy. Just a little crazy." Ruby shrugged. "I knew that already."

Soul hummed with amusement. "I think you're cool."

"You're cool too." Ruby told her. "Most powerful Huntress-in-training in all of Mistral, that's you."

Soul sighed, chuckling halfheartedly. "Yeah."

They reached the bottom of the staircase. Still with a grip on Ruby's arm, Soul continued to lead her home, the rain gradually fading. The shattered moon began to become visible in the night sky.

Soul wished Ruby wasn't drunk at that moment. This would be a nice opportunity to go for a walk with her, rather than Soul walking a tipsy Ruby home. For now, Soul simply guided Ruby through the watery pathways, humoring Ruby and her drunken small talk. She thought to herself how much she missed freely walking around the city. Though, if Soul was being honest with herself, staying and training to master her magic was worth it, so long as Ruby was there to guide her.


	3. Disbelief

**Chapter 2: Disbelief**

**One Month Ago...**

Soul had always associated situtations like this with fear, self-loathing, and sadness. She sat at a table, a couple windows behind her letting in the moonlight, no other object in the room. She was not tied down or locked in that room, but she still felt trapped. She felt her chest ache, desperately wanting nothing more than to get up from her seat and run out of there as fast a possible. She didn't like this, the feeling of being under scrutiny. She just wanted to hide.

She stared at the door. Any moment, someone would walk in. They'd accuse her of something, trespassing, vandalism, _something_. She would break down under the pressure. Soul didn't know what to do. She was panicking.

The door swung open. Soul let out a distressed yelp, gripping the armrests of her chair. A man entered, a tall young adult with long black hair accented with a pink streak. He wore a formal green jacket with a white scarf and black pants, his dress shoes thumping the concrete floor as he stepped towards her. He had a gentle-looking expression on his face, but that did nothing to stave off Soul's nerves. She felt herself shivering.

"Hello." He greeted in a quiet voice, seeming to acknowledge the girl's fear with a slight raise of an eyebrow. "My name is Lie Ren." He placed his hands on the backrest of the chair across from Soul, leaning on it slightly. "And you are...?"

It took Soul a couple seconds to realize she had to respond. Her eyes were wide, her hands folded in her lap in an effort to stop shaking. She drew air into her lungs, trying to speak without stammering. "Soul..." She cleared her throat, looking away from the man. "Soul Sonata."

Lie Ren stepped around the chair and sat, sitting up straight. "Do you know why you've been brought here?"

Soul inhaled through her nose, still refusing to look at the man. "I don't know where I am," she answered shakily.

Ren hummed humorously. "I guess you did have a rough time tonight." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a necklace. It was leather, strung with black beads and three sharp spikes, perhaps teeth from a small Grimm. "Does this belong to you?"

Soul's hand went straight to her neck, realizing the necklace's absence for the first time.

Ren placed the necklace on the table and pushed it towards Soul for her to retreive. She cautiously grabbed it and began putting it back on.

"I assure you, you are safe here," Ren confided. "You are at Nikos Academy, and I am the headmaster."

Soul finally looked at him, a confused look on her face. "Why am I at a school?"

Ren stood to his feet once again, taking a few steps to the side, looking out one of the windows. He took a few seconds to answer her. "Because, Miss Sonata, we believe you belong at this school."

Soul narrowed her eyes at the man. "We?" The door suddenly opened again, and in stepped...her. The girl from the power plant. Soul felt her throat constrict, her cyan eyes meeting the girl's silver ones. "Uhh..." Soul couldn't find anything to say.

"Yeah." The girl chuckled at her. "You know, you really could use some training. Don't get me wrong, you had some moves out there, but–"

"Ruby." Ren interjected, turning away from the windows. He came over and stood next to her, eyeing her for a bit before turning his attention back to Soul. "So tell me, are you of any relation to the Sonata Prideship?"

Soul stiffened. _Dammit, I knew they'd ask me eventually. Gods I hate my stupid family, I wish I could just–_

"Miss Sonata?" Ren asked, detecting her hike in emotions.

Soul cleared her throat, once again avoiding his eyes. "Well...I was born into it, and I left when I was sixteen."

"Left?" Ruby asked. "You don't just leave the Sonata gang."

"I got kicked out, alright?" Soul snapped at her, her eyes sharply pinned to Ruby. "I didn't follow the rules, so my parents disowned me and they dropped me in a river. I drowned, I was dead, but a fisherman resesitated me."

The room was silent for a moment. Ruby's eyes had shot open after hearing the part about Soul being dead for a bit. "Damn, you died?"

"Ruby," Ren scolded firmly.

"What? She was dead and then came back. How is that not badass?"

Ren sighed. "Okay, but that's not the point."

"I'm sitting right here." Soul muttered. "And no, it wasn't cool."

The two others looked at her. "My apologies." Ren said. "Do you mind if I ask why you were...expelled from Sonata?"

Soul sighed shakily, her nerves returning. "I do mind, but I'll tell you." She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over her yellow shirt. Her ears wilted against her head. "The Sonata Prideship is very... _uncooperative_ with humans. So you can imagine what my parents thought when they found out I had been... _associating_ myself with a human."

"So they dumped you in a river." Ruby shook her head. "Those Sonata creeps are pretty much Diet White Fang."

"That's my family you're talking about." Soul grumbled. "And they're nothing like the Fang. They hate the Fang, as do I."

"The Sonata Prideship was created to be a true Faunus community." Ren told Ruby. "Like Menagerie, only stricter."

Ruby hummed and nodded. "Sorry. Don't know much about it." She sniffed, stretching her arms. "Soooo what happened with the human you were 'associating' with?"

Soul was visibly angry now. "She left. She wanted nothing to do with me since my family would be after her. So I got thrown out for nothing." She huffed. "I was homeless for a little while until I found an old abandoned house just outside the city. I've been living there, working as a waitress in a bar in the mid-levels. That's it pretty much."

Ruby chuckled. "Then when did you learn to fight like you did tonight? Just winged it?"

Soul pursed her lips, letting out a sigh. "Maybe in my free time I taught myself how to fight."

"With just a shield, though." Ruby pondered. "I've never seen someone use a shield so...offensively as you did." She chuckled, scratching the back of her head. "It was pretty cool honestly."

"Thanks." Soul said flatly, not enjoying the attention.

"Miss Sonata," Ren began to say before being cut off.

"Just call me Soul." The Faunus told him.

"Soul." Ren corrected. "Tell me, when did you learn to summon lightning from the sky?" Ren asked pointedly.

Soul looked at him, her breath hitching. Their eyes bored into her. This was the question they'd been waiting to ask, Soul guessed. "It was about a year back–"

"A year." Ruby whispered, Ren noting that.

"–I was leaving work late one night when this guy tried to jump me. I fought him, and I almost had him beat, until he grabbed my wrist. It felt like he'd broken it into a million pieces, it hurt so much. But...my arm wasn't damaged or anything, it was weird."

"Perhaps it was the man's Semblance." Ren suggested.

"Yeah, I think I remember hearing about someone like that while working in the lower levels." Ruby added. "Some low-life with the ability to inflict horrible pain by just touching you."

"Yeah, well anyway," Soul continued. "I thought he was gonna do even worse, so I started to panic. I didn't have my shield, so I started to just growl and yell at him, doing my best to not let him touch me and hurt me again. But he backed me against a wall and was about to go for my neck when..." Soul sighed. "He was struck by lightning, and...I knew, somehow, that I did it. I mean, it wasn't even raining."

"What happened then?" Ren asked, urging her to continue.

"Well, I don't think I killed him. He was still moving and groaning on the ground. After all that had happened, I just ran away. I ran all the way back to my shack."

"Did you attempt to use lightning again later on?" Ruby asked.

Soul nodded. "I practiced with it. I figure it has to do with my Semblance, though I don't know how."

"What is your Semblance?" Ren asked.

Soul dipped her head. "I never wanted to tell anyone what my Semblance is."

"Why is that?" Ruby asked, a bit agitated by Soul's response.

"Because no one would ever trust me if they knew what it was." Soul explained, a dark look in her eye.

Ren and Ruby stood there, taken aback by the Faunus girl before them. "Well now you got us all curious." Ruby chuckled. "Now you gotta tell us."

Soul sighed. "Fine." She looked at them, seemingly mad about having to tell them. "My Semblance is Manipulating Emotions. I can change a person's emotions just by looking at them."

Ren and Ruby were shocked, not surprising to Soul. She expected such a reaction.

"Have you manipulated us at all?" Ruby asked, suddenly very cautious.

"You would've been able to tell I was doing something." Soul explained. "When I use my Semblance, my stripes turn white. It's weird, I know, but that's just how it is."

The two continued to look at her quizzically. They glanced at one another. "Very...interesting." Ren said with uncertainty.

"Do me!" Ruby suddenly barked to Soul. "I wanna see how this works."

Soul raised an eyebrow. "You _want_ me to manipulate your emotions? Like, willingly?"

"Well sure! It's not like you're gonna hurt me right?" Ruby asked.

Soul huffed. "Of course not. It's just strange that you'd let me do this. It's not a pleasant feeling."

"This will only make you seem even cooler to me." Ruby promised. "Make me feel a positive emotion, that way maybe it won't be as unpleasant as you say."

Soul sighed. "Well, if you say so." She stood to her feet, intimidated by Ruby's enthusiasm. She took a deep breath in, and then _glared_ at Ruby. Like, the most intense death stare you could imagine. Sure enough, her stripes turned from black, to gray, and then finally became as white as cotton.

Ruby felt it instantly. A ballooning feeling of utter joy in her chest. It was honestly very uncomfortable, feeling so _happy_ for no reason whatsoever. That didn't stop Ruby from smiling her widest grin possible. "Holy shit, I'm really happy now!" She laughed hysterically, leaning her back against the door. She pressed a hand to her chest. "Oh gods this ain't right!" She yelled as she continued to laugh.

"Wow." Ren looked back and forth between the intensely focused Soul and the hysterical Ruby. _A Semblance that can control emotion. That could be useful._

All at once, Soul relaxed and her stripes turned back to black. She sighed, holding her head. "Uhhhhh happy emotions are such a headache." She grumbled, flopping back down to her seat.

Ruby immediately stopped laughing and gasped for air. All her joy was gone, replaced with unsettled worry. "That _was_ unpleasant." She continued breathing deeply, sliding down the door until settling on the ground.

"Are you alright?" Ren asked her, still in amazement.

"Yeah, just..." She groaned. "I haven't felt that happy in a _long_ time, and it wasn't even real happiness. Kind of a sad commentary on my life these days." She chuckled.

"Told you." Soul said to Ruby, fingers pressed to her temple. "I can be way more subtle than that, but I wanted to give you the full extent of what I can do."

"Full extent." Ruby blew a raspberry. She shook her head and smiled at Soul. "Your Semblance is scary. You're twenty times cooler now."

"Thanks." Soul groaned. "Uhhhh. My head..."

"Do you need some help?" Ren asked her, stepping forward.

Soul looked up at him. "Honestly, I want out of this room. This is a conversation we definitely could've had in a lounge or somewhere less like an interrogation."

Her response surprised Ren, who chuckled. "I hear you. Come with us, we'll find you a place to stay the night."

"Hold on, stay the night?" Soul asked. "I never agreed to stay here."

Ren nodded and sighed. "If you wish to leave, you may. But trust me when I say to you that you are very, very important, both to us, and to our enemies. If you are not with us, they will come after you."

Soul was completely floored by that. "Enemies?" She asked, her nerves once again resurfacing. "Come after me? What's going on?"

"I'll tell you more." Ren said, smiling lopsidedly. "In a room less like an interrogation."

Soul understood what he meant. She closed her eyes and nodded her head, standing to her feet. Ruby also managed to stand, her breathing beginning to slow down. As Ren led the way out of the room, Ruby came over to Soul and elbowed her. "I'll show you mine some time later."

"What?" Soul asked, stepping away from Ruby a bit.

"You showed me your Semblance," She smirked. She then turned to follow Ren out of the room. Just before she stepped through the door, she said over her shoulder, "So I'll show you mine." She giggled before leaving the room.

Soul huffed, then realized the innuendo in what Ruby had just said. _I showed her mine, so she'll show me...hers._ Soul groaned, blushing like mad. She might have been kind of angry if she weren't also a bit impressed by Ruby slipping that line in so smoothly. She did her best to put it out of her mind.

She hesitantly began to follow them, leaving the room and entering the dark hallway. Ruby and Ren had already almost rounded the nearby corner, seemingly discussing something under whispers. Soul decided to follow behind them in a way that didn't seem suspiciously like she was eavesdropping, but not too close to where they'd stop talking. She used her sensitive ears to pick up on their words.

Ren: "She can't be your 'sidekick'. If she is a Solstice, she needs to stay here and train."

Ruby: "Just one mission. I recently took a job to track down a crime boss. Her manipulating fools' emotions could make things way easier."

Ren: "She's not for helping you make money, she needs to stay here."

Ruby: "Come on, she'd do great under my wing."

Ren: "Then you can mentor her."

Ruby: "On missions?"

Ren: "Here."

Ruby: "Damn. Fine."

A Solstice? Staying here? Ruby mentoring her? Soul was all sorts of freaked out now. Combine all of that with the things about "enemies" and people coming after her, she was completely losing her nerves to the point of not being able to walk properly. Soul hugged herself, elbows pressed to her ribs.

She didn't have a clue about what she had gotten into. All she knew was she was important in ways she didn't understand, and she was being asked to stay at this academy for no specific reason. Oh, she definitely was going have plenty of questions for Mister Headmaster and Miss Flirts-A-Lot. She was going to figure this out, no matter how long it took.

_Damn._ She thought to herself. _I'm definitely missing work tomorrow._

* * *

She was left with more questions than answers after their explanation. She would've said something, had she not been so in shock. She just sat there in the small den, the only noise was the fireplace slowly burning itself out.

"Yeah, it's pretty heavy stuff." Ruby admitted, sitting in a nearby recliner, drinking from a flask. _Is she even old enough to drink?_ Soul thought to herself.

"I hope you now understand exactly why you're so integral to our mission." Ren said, leaning his elbows on his knees. He sat across from Soul, a coffee table dividing them.

Soul was still speechless. This was insane! Magical powers handed off to young women at random. An evil overlord with control over all Grimm. Three other girls in the world, at least one of them on the evil overlord's side, with powers just like hers. Ruby was dead right. This was heavy stuff.

"Do you accept this role?" Ren suddenly asked, jarring Soul from her thoughts.

Soul finally found something to say. "Accept it?! I just now found out about it!" She got to her feet and put her hand to her head, pacing the floor. "You're telling me I have magical powers, and it's my job to retrieve some 'Relic' from Vacuo?!"

"It's not your job, it's what Salem wants you for. Our plan is to keep you here, far away from Vacuo." Ren explained. "Things in Vacuo are in turmoil. Armed rebellions have erupted all across the kingdom, and we have no clue where the allegiances of these factions lie. One thing is certain: the Relic of Destruction is at risk, but you're the only one who can access it. That is why people will be looking for you if your true identity gets out."

Soul shook her head. "I didn't ask for this!" She yelled, fury in her voice. "I never wanted these powers! I never wanted to get involved in this war! And now you people are sucking me into it!"

"You'd get sucked into it eventually." Ruby grumbled, sounding a bit hoarse. "Be glad the good guys are the ones who did. You don't want Salem's acolytes kicking your door down."

"You received the Summer Maiden's powers at random." Ren explained. "I understand that you don't want anything to do with this, but you have to stay here, Soul, both for your own safety, and for the good of humanity."

"I don't want to stay here!" Soul shouted. "I don't want to train to be a Huntress!"

"You'd rather keep living in a hut and work in a bar that even I wouldn't touch?" Ruby scoffed. "I don't know what exactly you think you'd be missing out on by joining us."

Soul stomped over to Ruby, standing over her. "I'm missing out on my life! I could get killed by joining you!"

"You could get killed by leaving, too." Ruby told her, setting her flask down. "Salem's band of wonder warriors aren't nice like we are."

"You people keep saying they'd track me down, but how?" Soul stepped away from Ruby, putting her hand to her forehead. "If no one knows–"

"Except people do know." Ruby said. "Everyone at the Power District saw you summon lighting from a cloudless sky. They're gonna tell their friends about that."

"And the word could spread." Ren added. "Rumors of a tiger Faunus summoning lightning. Someone on _her_ side could easily make the connection."

Soul fell back to her seat, groaning. She covered her face with her hands, willing herself not to start crying hysterically. "I don't want to do this." She mumbled quietly.

"If it's any consolation, you'll make some good friends here." Ruby offered, kicking her legs over the armrest of her chair and lying on it sideways. "You'll get three meals a day, free of charge. You'll never have to work. Just gotta train with me."

Soul looked up at her. "I don't have to pay for anything?"

Ruby shook her head. "Consider yourself the honorable recipient of the Summer Maiden scholarship."

"You will need to train a lot." Ren told her. "We need you to learn as much as possible, as quickly as possible."

"I can be a pretty good tutor if I put my mind to it." Ruby chuckled.

"What about other classes?" Soul asked.

Ren sighed, glancing towards Ruby. "That's the thing. You can't go to normal classes like the rest of the students."

"Why not?" Soul asked. "What happened to meeting new friends?"

"I'm your new friend." Ruby grinned.

Soul huffed. "Not what I meant."

"Ouch." Ruby murmured.

"You can't train as the Summer Maiden out in the open with other students around." Ren explained. "They would get very curious about you, how you got such amazing powers, and how you managed to get into to this school halfway through the semester."

"You're gonna live with me." Ruby told her. "I live in a house right by campus." She pointed over her shoulder towards the general direction of her home. "There's a guest room for you, your own bathroom, everything."

Soul rolled her eyes. "Why do I have to live with you?"

Ruby coughed, knitting her eyebrows at Soul. "You don't really like me, do you."

Soul shrugged, looking down at the floor. "You kinda got me into this mess. If you hadn't been fighting those mafia dudes right by where I was walking home, I never would've had to use my powers."

"I could blame you for walking by my fight." Ruby shot back. "The fact of the matter is all of this happened by chance, and there's no going back from here." Ruby leaned forward, glaring at Soul. "You either stay here, live in my totally awesome house, get free food, free training sessions with a Huntress, and never work in another dirty bar again, or..." Ruby crossed her arms. "You go back home and eventually, inevitably get kidnapped by Salem's goons." She leaned back, putting on a softer expression. "And I promise, I'm not as bad as you think."

Soul closed her eyes, hanging her head. She knew she had no choice. Her life had been chosen for her. She didn't like this at all, and yet, she wanted this instead of going back to her previous life. Free meals, a nice place to live, and lessons from a Huntress. Soul had to admit, Ruby didn't seem all that bad, it's was just how this whole day had gone. Ruby had kind of saved her life back at the Power District anyway. Staying with her had to be better than living alone in a ramshackle house. Soul imagined Ruby probably wasn't the best roommate one could ask for, but again, she had no choice. From what they told her, this Salem lady was the real deal.

Soul sat up straight and looked up at Ren. She sighed. "Alright. I'll stay."

Ruby hopped to her feet. "That's the spirit!"

Ren stood, extending a hand to Soul. "Thank you for understanding. I know this is as life-altering as anything can be, but thank you for being willing to help us."

Soul shook his hand halfheartedly. "Yeah. I don't have a choice, but yeah."

Ren pulled his hand away. "I'll be right back." He then turned and left the room.

Soul turned and looked at Ruby, who was smiling at her. She came over and sat down next to Soul on her couch. "So what's for dinner tonight? You choose."

Soul scoffed. "Anything besides cup noodles."

"Burgers It is." Ruby patted Soul on the back playfully.

Ren returned. "I presume you want this back." In his hands, he carried a black metal shield. It was circular, etched with bronze accents. It was designed to be perfectly balanced, perfect for offense and defense.

Soul took her shield, looking down at it. "It's been polished."

"You can thank me for that." Ruby chuckled. "I couldn't let a pretty thing like that stay all scuffed and scratched like it was when we got you here."

Soul smiled lopsidedly. "Thank you." Her words were sincere, her smile still held on her face. She stood up and slung the arm straps of the shield on her left arm, then fastened a third strap around her neck to keep the shield in place.

"What's its name?" Ruby asked.

Soul looked at her quizzically. "Name?"

"Yeah, what's your shield's name?" Ruby asked, seeming curious and not at all joking.

Soul shook her head. "It...doesn't have a name."

Ruby scoffed, shaking her head. "So you're saying you never named it? Come on!"

"Naming an inanimate object seems...I dunno, weird." Soul admitted.

"It's tradition! Every student at every combat school designs and names their weapon. If I had mine with me, I'd show you."

"I saw them at the Power District." Soul chuckled. "I will admit. Seeing someone wield two scythes like you did was pretty amazing. I thought you were gonna slice yourself to pieces when I first saw you use them both."

Ruby grinned proudly. "I've had a lot of practice." One scythe was of her own design, Crescent Rose, while the other once belonged to her late Uncle Qrow. Qrow never gave it a name, so Ruby didn't either, figuring it would be best to just call it "Qrow's Scythe" to honor him. "But what about you and your shield? You were tossing it around and smacking people with, it was so fucking cool!"

Soul chuckled, blushing a bit. "I've...had a lot of practice."

Ren hummed a laugh at them. "You two seem like you'll get along alright." He turned. "I feel I should turn in for the night. Soul, stick with Ruby. Good night." And with that, he walked to a nearby staircase and ascended up it.

Ruby looked at Soul. "Want a tour of my house?"

Soul smirked. "Is it really as amazing as you say it is?"

Ruby shrugged. "Depends on your standards of 'amazing'." She turned towards the exit and waved for Soul to follow. "Come on. I'm starving."

Soul sighed, following. "Yeah. Me too."

 


	4. Woeful Realities

**Chapter 3: Woeful Realities**

Ruby led Soul through the dark, windy night, passing buildings and gardens on their way to Ruby's home. The trees rustled eerily, drowning out any other noise. Soul kept her eyes trained on Ruby, deep in thought.

There was something about this girl, a small inkling in the back of Soul's mind telling her she'd seen this Ruby character somewhere. The red hood and her silver eyes were unmistakable. Perhaps she he'd been a patron at the bar Soul worked at? Soul doubted that, since Ruby had said she would never touch a bar like that. Maybe she had seen her on TV. Yeah, that was probably it. Huntsmen and Huntresses appeared on the news all the time, being praised for their heroism. Perhaps Ruby had simply stuck out to Soul for her unique appearance.

Ruby glanced back at Soul. "You into comic books?" She said just loud enough to be heard over the wind.

Soul raised an eyebrow. "Comic books?"

"Yeah, like, manga. Ever been into that?" Ruby asked her.

Soul shook her head, shrugging. "Sounds like something you'd need money for."

Ruby chuckled. "Well, I hope you don't mind my bookshelves full of them."

"Why would that bother me?" Soul asked.

"It certainly bothered a good friend of mine." Ruby laughed. "She said I should get some proper books with literary significance."

"She sounds stuck up." Soul murmured.

"Nah, she's cool." Ruby suddenly stopped and turned around to face Soul. "Alright, tiger. It's time for lesson one."

Soul froze, looking at Ruby with confusion. "Lesson one? And did you just call me 'tiger'?"

Ruby tensed up a bit. "Sorry, forgot that's offensive." She scratched her neck. "My bad."

"Forgot it's offensive? How do you just forget–"

"Listen, if I'm gonna whip you into shape, you'll need to be ready for whatever I throw at you." Ruby pointed at Soul's face, her fingertip just inches from Soul's nose.

"What are you going to do?" Soul asked, annoyed by Ruby poking her bubble of personal space. "I literally just got here and-"

Ruby suddenly turned around and...vanished. Like, she was gone! Nothing but rose petals left in her place. Soul began looking around frantically. "Ruby?!" She called. There was no sign of her, only a trail of petals leading to...

As Soul followed the path of rose petals, she saw something approaching. A red blur, rocketing towards her. Soul gasped, immediately unclipping her shield from her neck, allowing it to slide down her left arm and settle on her wrist. She lifted her shield in front of her and leaned backwards, sliding down to her knees just in time to block the red blur and duck under it as it shot by.

Soul immediately hopped to her feet, looking back to see what exactly it was. To her astonishment, she saw Ruby, her hood flipped over her head, cape waving in the wind. She was smirking, holding her red and black scythe, rose petals floating in the wind around her. She spun her scythe in front and behind her body before digging it's sharp tip into the grass, allowing the weapon to stand on its own. "Nice reflexes." Ruby complimented.

Soul sighed and relaxed. "Show off." She huffed.

Ruby chuckled. "Just wanted to see how you handle a surprise." She took a few steps toward Soul, leaving Crescent Rose behind. She suddenly reached over her shoulder, pulling a massive sword from its mount. It looked like the silver scythe she had used at the Power District, only now in it's straight sword configuration. "Now let's see how you handle a face-to-face fight with a pro Huntress." Ruby had a rather sadistic glint in her eyes, seemingly relishing getting to spar with Soul.

Soul knitted her eyebrows, lowering into a defensive stance. She felt a little annoyed with having to spar with Ruby already. She had enough on her mind already. Nonetheless, she brought her shield up to cover her nose and mouth, leaving her cyan eyes revealed to stare Ruby down.

Ruby laughed. "Good luck." She then lunged forward with a yell, swinging her sword towards Soul.

Soul watched as the sword approached, and instead of using her shield to pary the blade away, she veered forward, swinging her shield at the arm Ruby was holding the sword with. She connected the edge of her shield with Ruby's elbow, knocking her arm back. Soul used the opening to swing her shield at Ruby's legs, sweeping them out from under her. Ruby exclaimed in surprise as she fell backwards, her back hitting the ground with an unpleasant smack.

Soul stood over Ruby, bringing her shield across her body, preparing to sling it at Ruby's face. Ruby flinched as Soul swung her arm forward...only to allow the shield to stop one inch away from Ruby's nose.

Ruby stared at the shield, then up at Soul, who was breathing rapidly from the burst of adrenaline she had just received. Ruby shuddered. "I haven't been beaten that quick in ages."

"Told you I've practiced." Soul hummed, unable to suppress the bout of pride she felt grow in her chest.

Ruby smirked up at her. "That was hot."

Soul scoffed, drawing her shield away. "Quit saying stuff like that, it's weird." She blushed, taking a couple steps back to allow Ruby to stand.

"Am I making you uncomfortable with my one-liners?" Ruby asked as she dusted herself off.

"Mildly." Soul huffed.

Ruby snickered, propping her sword on her shoulder. "Then I'll dial it back until you can handle it."

"Until I can handle it?" Soul asked.

"Yep." Ruby nodded, then lowered her sword, getting into her fighting stance again. "Now, let's try this again. You beating me was a fluke."

"Then what's your excuse if I beat you again?"

"I don't think I need to worry about that." Ruby sneered, pulling the switch on her sword. The gears at the base turned, a mechanical droning emanating from the weapon. Soul watched in awe as the blade split at multiple places, then curved into its scythe configuration. The handle extended, and it's transformation from sword to scythe was complete.

"Woah." Soul murmured.

"Pretty cool, right?" Ruby chuckled at Soul's amazement.

"Yeah." Soul nodded. "Before we fight, could I maybe..." she stepped forward, reaching for the handle.

Ruby laughed. "You into weapons?" She asked her as she handed the scythe to Soul.

The weight of the weapon took Soul off guard, yanking her arms down as she tried to handle it. She pulled it up, holding it upright. "Yeah, I've always had kind of an obsession."

Ruby smiled. "I've been crazy about weapon design since I was little." She told her. "I have notebooks filled with design concepts. Maybe one day I could sell them to a weapons company and make a ton of money." Ruby chuckled nervously.

"Wow. You should definitely show me." Soul nodded, slightly distracted by the weapon in her hand. She swung it cautiously. "This thing is...a lot to handle."

Ruby smiled at her. "You'd really want to see my designs?"

"Well sure." Soul shrugged, stepping back to swing the scythe downward, digging the end into the ground. "This thing is so cool."

Ruby chuckled, feeling a gleeful flutter in her chest. "No one's ever been interested in my design notebooks."

Soul glanced up at her. "I get the impression that your designs are pretty important to you."

"What gave it away?" Ruby giggled nervously, rubbing her wrist.

Soul raised an eyebrow at how Ruby's cool and charismatic persona had faded, being replaced by a sheepish girl pursuing her childhood aspirations.

"I'll show you!" Ruby said excitedly, running to grab her red scythe. She folded it away and attached it to her belt. She then ran and grabbed the silver scythe and Soul's hand and started to drag her towards her house.

"Woah! Alright, alright." Soul said as she stumbled behind Ruby. "Whatever happened to round two of our fight?"

"We can fight later." Ruby told her dismissively, continuing to drag Soul along. Soul did her best to keep up as they neared Ruby's home. It was a two-story building that was more tall than it was wide. It's walls were fashioned from wood planks and concrete. It wasn't a beautiful house, but it was definitely better than what Soul was used to.

They entered the front door, and Ruby switched the lights on. The interior of the home took Soul off guard. The walls were covered in photographs, literally from the floor to the ceiling. You couldn't tell what color the paint on the walls was, for each photo was taped to one another, meticulously arranged so the maximum number of photos could be displayed. They were in the living room right now, some customary furnishings and light fixtures arranged about the room, along with multiple bookshelves filled with comic books and manga, but the gallery of pictures was what captured Soul's attention. "That's a lot of photos." Soul mumbled, rotating in a circle slowly to take it all in.

Ruby laughed. "Yeah, maybe a few here and there."

Soul stepped towards the wall across from the front door, looking closely at one of the photos. It pictured a younger Ruby, a huge grin on her face with her arm around a much taller blonde girl. The next picture to the right was the same blonde, standing back-to-back with a brunette cat Faunus girl, who was smiling softly as she lied her head back on the blonde's shoulder. "Who are they?" Soul asked.

Ruby stepped up and stood next to her. She pointed at the blonde. "That's my sister Yang, and that's her girlfriend Blake." Ruby pointed over at the Faunus.

"Your sister is Human." Soul said quizzically.

Ruby nodded. "Yeah. And Blake is a Faunus."

Soul sighed, and Ruby knew why. She'd been tossed in a river for dating a human. Well, "associating with" a human is how Soul had put it, but Ruby knew what she really meant. It was a sad story. A lot about this girl was sad, yet here she was, still standing. Ruby had a lot of respect for Soul just because of that. Working in a shady bar, living in a hut, no family to go home to, and Soul was still here. Too bad she had her entire future mapped out for her courtesy of the Summer Maiden's powers, but it couldn't be helped. At least Ruby was there for her. She was confident that she could help Soul through this. She felt inclined to.

After a while of silence, Ruby chimed in, her voice low as if making sure only Soul could hear. "You wanna know why I have all these photos?"

Soul looked at her, her cyan eyes gazing at her. "Why?" She asked softly.

Ruby walked a few steps, looking over the pictures. "I've lost a lot of people important to me." She stopped in front of a particular picture that Soul couldn't see from where she stood. She came over to stand next to Ruby, who sighed as she stared at the photo. It showed a slim man with dark hair and red eyes, leaning his arm on young Ruby's head. In his hand, he held the silver sword Ruby had used to spar with Soul. "So I got this crazy idea that maybe if I take enough pictures of the people I love and care about, they wouldn't actually be gone when I lose them."

Soul let that sink in. Ruby had taken these photos to be the last of the people close to her. "Who's that?" Soul asked quietly of the man in the picture.

"My Uncle Qrow." Ruby said flatly. "He was a Huntsman who fought at the Fall of Haven." She rubbed her nose. "He died protecting me."

Soul's heart dropped a bit. "I'm...sorry." She apologized quietly.

"Don't be." Ruby shook her head. "I have pictures of him. I have his scythe." She shrugged. "He's not completely gone."

Soul didn't know how to respond. This man, Qrow, was gone. Soul never liked sappy sentiments like "as long as we remember them, they never truly die", but seeing how Ruby relied on these photos to keep her memory of her loved ones alive, Soul took a moment to think. She'd never lost someone like Ruby had. No one close to her had ever died. Plenty of people had to deal with loss, and each had their methods of coping. This gallery was Ruby's.

"I talk to these photos sometimes." Ruby admitted, not at all embarrassed to say so. "I remember when each and every one was taken. I remember the situations we were in, the moods each person was in. If I didn't have these pictures, I'd lose my mind." She said that like there wasn't any doubt, as if she would descend into insanity if she suddenly lost these pictures.

"That's...pretty deep." Soul said, not finding anything better to say. "And you're fine with just telling me about all of this?"

Ruby shrugged. "I'm just a bit weird." She smiled sheepishly at Soul. "And I totally understand if you're weirded out."

Soul shook her head, waving her hands in front of her. "No, I'm not weirded out. I'm just surprised you trust me enough."

Ruby rolled her eyes. "I just met you tonight. I don't trust you."

Soul stiffened. "Wha–"

"I don't trust you, yet. But my potential to trust you is pretty high, if you get me." Ruby tried to explain, walking over to an end table by the maroon recliner.

"Uhm, you mean you don't trust me, but I seem trustworthy?" Soul asked.

"Yeah, it's like that." Ruby opened a drawer on the end table. She pulled out a camera, perhaps the one all of these photos had been taken with. "You seem like the kind of person that, after some quality get-to-know-you time, I would trust with my life."

Soul's jaw dropped a bit. "Wow...you really think that?" That was quite the assumption for Ruby to make.

Ruby shrugged, walking back over to Soul. "Of course. I've met people like you. You've been through a lot of shit, and yet you keep going. You value relationships because they don't come along often, but that's what you live for." She leaned against the wall gently, looking at Soul with a glint in her silver eyes. "If there's someone, even just one person that you can go to when you need them, you put your life in their hands. I'm the same way."

Soul looked to the side, processing Ruby's words. That girl Soul has been with, the reason Soul had been thrown out of the Sonata Prideship, was exactly the person she had relied on, however foolishly. Everything Ruby had said described Soul's relationship with Ivy...Soul regretted thinking of her name. Now she felt sad, and angry.

Ruby looked at her camera. "Soul, I am to train you to become the Summer Maiden and to defend humanity against the darkness. I chose to teach you, because I know that deep down, you care about people close to you, just as I do."

Ruby had read her like a pamphlet. Had Soul really been that easy to see through around Ruby? "Why do you say that, though? About people close to me." Soul asked. "I don't have anyone like that."

Ruby smiled lopsidedly, looking at Soul through strands of red and black hair. "You're going to learn about a lot of things over these next several days. For instance, you're just now beginning to learn that you don't have to know everything about someone in order to truly _know_ them."

Soul knitted her eyebrows, her tiger ears lowering to the sides a bit. "I don't understand."

"Think about everything you've learned about me." Ruby explained. "What do you know about my life, about me as a person?"

Soul thought for few seconds. "You're a Huntress who deals with criminals and gangs a lot. You fought at the Fall of Haven–"

"Those are things I've done." Ruby interrupted. "I mean things about me. Who am I?"

"Oh." Soul rerouted her train of thought. "Well...you love weapon design. You like the color red. You like flirting with me."

"I said I would stop." Ruby chuckled.

"I get the feeling you won't be able to stop for long."

Ruby looked up at the ceiling for a moment. "Yeah."

Soul huffed a suppressed laugh. "I'll be honest, it's embarrassing, but your one-liners are charming in a way."

Ruby chuckled. "'Charming' is a nice way of saying strange. But I'll take note of that." She smirked.

Soul shook her head. "Tone it down, though. Don't call me hot."

"Gotcha." Ruby gave a thumbs up. "Now tell me more about what you know about me. Get into detail."

Soul shrugged. She realized that they had gotten completely off track their original topic, but she didn't feel like backtracking. "I've only known you for–"

"Just keep going." Ruby pressed.

Soul sighed. "Alright. Well...you want to protect people."

"What makes you say that?" Ruby asked straightforwardly.

Soul looked at her with confusion. "Because you're a Huntress. Isn't that why you became a Huntress? To protect people?"

Ruby chuckled at Soul's innocent response. "There are a lot more reasons to want to become a Huntress besides just wanting to protect people."

"Then what's your reason?" Soul asked curiously.

"My reason?" Ruby looked down. "Take a guess. It's not about protecting people. It's more about the people I've lost."

Soul thought meticulously about it. "You became a Huntress because you...want to honor your lost loved ones?"

Ruby scoffed. "It's not nearly as honorable as that." She removed herself from the wall, fidgeting with the switches on her camera.

"Then what's your reason?" Soul asked.

"I want revenge." Ruby deadpanned, not looking up.

Soul's breathing hitched momentarily. "Revenge?"

"I've lost _a lot_ of people." Ruby still held her eyes on the camera, the object that had allowed her to maintain her memories, her sanity. "Penny, Pyrrha, Oscar, Qrow...my mom." Her knuckles turned white as she squeezed her camera. "I lost them, all of them, because of _her._ "

"Salem." Soul remembered the name of the woman, the "Queen of the Grimm" as Lie Ren had described her.

Ruby squeezed her eyes shut, a grimace on her face. "I want nothing more than to take her down myself." She sighed, her expression relaxing. "But I know I'm just being overdramatic. It's a much more complicated problem. There's way more that needs to be done before we even figure out where _she_ is, let alone defeat her." Ruby looked up at Soul gently. "The point of all of this, about me asking you about all that you know about me, about me saying that you're worthy of trust, is just a complicated way of me saying that you and I need to stick together." She stepped towards Soul, holding eye contact with her. "We're going to be spending a lot of time together. We're going to be training together, eating together, living together. We're going to grow close and we're going to care about each other. The one thing I need to know is..." She put a hand on Soul's shoulder. "Will you protect yourself, before protecting me?"

Soul maintained eye contact, although not without narrowing her eyes a bit in bemusement. "Protect myself over you?"

"I don't want you risking your life for me." Ruby shook her head. "I'm tired of people I care about getting killed, all because they were trying to protect me. It happened with Qrow, it happened with Oscar, I'm not letting it happen again." Ruby's glare intensified, making Soul tempted to look away. "Don't get yourself killed just for me, got it?"

Soul sighed. "I...I've only known you for a few hours. How am I supposed to know what I might do in a hypothetical life-or-death situation in the future?"

"Soul, you're just like me." Ruby told her, the hand she had on Soul's shoulder maintaining a firm grip. "You're going to want to protect me. That's why I'm telling you now to please, please don't fight my battles for me." She let go over her. "I don't need a response, I just need you to think about it."

Soul was speechless. Ruby had just asked her to not put her life in danger for Ruby's sake. What kind of request is that? Soul didn't think she would ever need to do such a thing, mostly because she was grossly underestimating the gravity of what she had gotten involved in with this Maiden business, but what if she did? What if one day, she would have to choose between Ruby's life, and her own? She doubted she would willingly get herself killed to protect Ruby. Then again, that was not a great thing to think, but Soul was no hero.

"I need a picture." Ruby broke her from her thoughts.

"A picture?" Soul asked as Ruby walked behind her.

"To remember the night we met." Ruby explained. She lied her arms on Soul's shoulders, holding the camera out in front of Soul's face. Ruby peeked around Soul's head. "Smile that pretty smile of yours." She quipped before smiling herself. She camera shutter clicked, and a photo immediately printed out. Ruby kept her arms on Soul's shoulders as she looked at the picture. A forced, yet soft smile was on Soul's face along with a faint blush on her cheeks, with Ruby grinning with her eyes shut, just like she always did in her photos. "Good one." Ruby nodded before letting go of Soul. "There's a bare spot in the guest bedroom that this one could go."

Soul turned and looked at Ruby. "Hey."

"Yeah?" Ruby asked, putting her camera away.

Soul sighed. "Thank you." She folded her hands in front of her, looking down at the floor. "I know you kind of had to, with me being a Summer Maiden or whatever," saying those words left a bad taste in her mouth. "But thank you for taking me in. I'm not sure about my...responsibilities, but I'm happy to have a proper home."

"So you're okay with living here?" Ruby asked, then chuckled. "Even if you have to live with me."

Soul nodded. "Like you told me, I don't trust you yet, but there's a large potential of me trusting you eventually."

Ruby huffed a laugh, nodding. "It's no trouble." She began towards the staircase, waving for Soul to follow. "It's late. Let me show you to your room."

Soul followed her, taking a moment to glance again at the wall of photos. The blonde girl, Yang, appeared a lot, as did the Faunus girl Blake. A girl with white hair also appeared frequently. They all must've been very important to Ruby, and the reason she kept these photos was because she was afraid of losing them.

Soul had a lot to think about. Being the Summer Maiden, training to be a Hunstress, Ruby's request for Soul to not risk her life for her...it all filled her thoughts, vying for her attention. It was...pretty heavy stuff.

This was one of those moments when Soul wished she could use her Semblance to alter her own emotions, because she could really use some happiness to calm her clamoring nerves. All she could do was follow Ruby upstairs.

Perhaps this girl, Ruby Rose, could be the person Soul had been needing.

"I'll show you my weapon designs tomorrow." Ruby told her without turning to look at her.

"Oh." Soul chuckled lowly. "I forgot about that."

"Me too." Ruby nodded as they walked down the upstairs hallway. Ruby stopped at the first door on the right. "This'll be your room." She opened the door for Soul, revealing a simple looking bedroom with a full sized bed in the far corner. "The bathroom is down the hall." Ruby rubbed her nose. "I'm tired." She turned around, heading to the end of the hall where her own room must've been.

Soul watched her walk, her red cape floating as she moved. Soul wanted to point out that Ruby was forgetting about putting the photo of them up on the wall in the guest room, but she figured Ruby wasn't feeling well. Soul sighed. "Hey Ruby."

The girl stopped and turned to look at her. Her expression was distinctly downtrodden, feeling a bout of depression settling on her shoulders.

Soul smiled, and her stripes turned white for a few seconds. "Cheer up a little bit."

Ruby felt a small amount of joy build up, as opposed to the overwhelming flood Ruby had experienced earlier. She smiled at Soul as she opened her bedroom door. "Thank you."

Soul's stripes returned to normal. "Good night, Ruby." She said to her softly.

Even with Soul no longer influencing her feelings, Ruby still felt a tiny bit of happiness, most likely because of knowing Soul was there for her. Ruby smiled at her one more time. "Good night, Soul." She then turned and entered her room, shutting the door behind her.


	5. Journey of Centuries

**Chapter 4: Journey of Centuries**

The expanse of desert laid out before Soul amazed her. The dunes rose and fell, carved by the winds. The sun beared down on the ground, the heat radiating off the sand, only making the air even hotter and drier. Soul looked off in the distance in every direction. The perfect landscape was spoiled by a dot in the distance, a city surrounded by palm trees.

Soul looked down at herself. She wore only a thin white dress, flowing in the tug of the wind. Her feet were bare, slightly sunken into the soft sand. Her forehead glistened with sweat, her mouth dry, longing for water.

_This is a dream_ , Soul thought to herself. She had never seen this place. She had never been to a desert or ever experienced such a climate.  _Why am I here?_  She wondered to herself.

All this time, she thought she was alone. Soon, however, she heard footsteps. From behind her came the rustling of sand with each step. Soul turned and looked at the person. It was a young woman, long, straight red hair waving in the breeze, freckles dotting her face. She wore a white blouse and red shorts. She smiled kindly at Soul. "Hello, fellow traveler." Her voice was soft and sweet, yet firm. Soul noticed that the girl was not sweating, while she felt her own body covered in moisture.

"Where am I?" Soul asked the pretty girl. "And who are you?"

The girl chuckled, stepping closer to Soul so she could stand beside her. She pointed towards the distant city. "That place there is the City of Vacuo, my home." The girl then turned to face Soul, holding her hands behind her back and standing tall. "And my name is Summer, and I am on a journey with my sisters."

Summer? The word rattled around in Soul's mind.

"And who may you be?" The girl called Summer asked. "And where are you going?"

Soul looked up at her, acknowledging the considerable height difference between herself and the tall girl. "My name is Soul." She told her, inexplicably feeling a smile spread on her face. "And...I think I'm lost." Soul told her, not knowing how else to answer the girl's second question.

Summer smiled softly, and she placed a warm hand on Soul's shoulder. It tingled, it felt so real to Soul. "Dear, you are not lost." Summer told her. "You are simply between your starting point and your destination." She tilted her head to the side, studying Soul's face with a thoughtful look in her eyes. "Although, it seems your path has changed, hasn't it?"

Soul narrowed her eyes at Summer, becoming defensive. "What do you mean?" She asked, stepping back enough to be out of Summer's reach.

Summer chuckled once again. Her smile shined like the sun. "I mean you have spent your life heading one direction, but now, your path has changed." She leaned forward a bit, nodding. "And now, we both share the same goal."

Soul absorbed those words, wracking her brain, trying to figure out who this tall, beautiful girl was. "Same goal?"

"Indeed." Summer took Soul's hands in hers, holding them gently.  _This dream feels too real,_ Soul thought. They made eye contact, Soul noticing how Summer's eyes flickered like a campfire in an unnatural way. "You and I have been granted great powers." Summer continued. "And we must use them to help others."

Soul blinked rapidly. "Wait, how do you know about my powers?" She then froze, beginning to realize who she was speaking to. "You have...powers like me?"

Summer nodded. "My Gift was granted to me by an Old Man on the island of Vytal. My duty now is to journey home to Vacuo to protect my people."

Soul sighed, trying to not let the surreality of the moment frighten her. "You're the Summer Maiden, or at least, you were." Soul rubbed the sweat from her forehead.

Summer smiled at her once again. "The heat is getting to you. Here." She reached a hand to Soul's cheek. Before she could react, it touched her ever slightly, and Soul felt an instant chill, a soothing feeling of cool spreading throughout her body. Soul stopped sweating, feeling as if the sun had faded.

"Wow." Soul whispered, looking at her own hands to see them glowing a faint white. "Thank you, but how–"

"I used my Gift to control heat and drew it from you. After all, cold is simply a lack of heat." Summer pulled her hand away from Soul, her hand glowing red. "Perhaps you can learn to do similar things with your powers."

Soul shook her head, beginning to understand what all of this meant. "So...you used to be Summer Maiden. Now you're talking to me, because I inherited your powers?"

Summer looked up for a moment to consider her response. She looked back at Soul and shrugged. "I suppose this is simply my way of ensuring the responsible use of my Gift." She turned and faced Vacuo again. "Before I died, I and my sisters were able to use our magic to forever meld ourselves, our Auras, with our Gifts. Now we communicate with each of our successors to ensure they will use the Gift for good."

Soul nodded. "Okay, that makes...a little bit of sense." She looked down. "But what if a Maiden doesn't?"

Summer hummed quizzically at Soul.

"I mean, what if a Maiden doesn't use their powers for good?" Soul asked.

Soul heard Summer sigh. She turned to face Soul once again. "That has happened many times. If a Maiden chooses to take their Gift down the wrong path, I or one of my sisters can do their best to limit the current Maiden's abilities to a certain extent. Create a burden on the Maiden, if you will." Summer leaned down once again to look Soul in the eye. "The current Fall Maiden has been fighting a war in her mind against my sister for years, and I fear my sister is losing the fight severely." Summer seemed to be tearing up, her eyes glistening and her lips pressing together. "If the Fall Maiden continues down this path of sorrow and fear, my sister will die, and the Gift of the Fall Maiden will have no restraint." A tear ran down Summer's face, but she kept eye contact with the dumbfounded Soul despite it. "Soul Sonata, I want to ask of you, to please use your Gift to help and protect those who are in need, and to fight evil. If you choose the side of good, I can allow you to access the full power of your Gift, and you can learn to wield it in time. However, if you wish to use your powers for evil, I will restrain you. It will be a painful burden for both of us, so I plead..." She held Soul's hands again, her voice filled with desperation. "Defend the world's people against the darkness."

Soul simply could not fashion a response to the testament Summer had just told her. It was a lot to comprehend and almost too much to absorb considering all the legends and lore she had been fed the previous day. Soul couldn't say or do anything at the moment. All she could do was stare at the first Summer Maiden, marveling at her beauty and admiring her resolve to fight for good.

Soul couldn't possibly live up to this girl's stature. She was a hero. She had guided Summer Maidens for centuries, and she never tired from it. She was once a mortal like Soul who, in death, limited herself to only being able to speak to a single young woman for years at a time. How could Soul compare to her?

Soul hadn't said anything, but Summer seemed to begin to smile. She stood back up and nodded. "I feel it within you. You wish to help. You're very afraid, and I understand, but it makes me incredibly happy to know my Gift has been passed to a worthy young woman such as yourself."

Before Soul could even begin to try to say anything, Summer stepped forward and hugged her in the warmest, most comforting way possible. Soul's cheek pressed against Summer's shoulder, and she felt the urge to lean into the hug, maybe put her nose to the girl's neck. Sure, this girl was technically thousands of years old, but she looked, spoke, and acted like a girl Soul's age. Soul wasn't going to take a hug like this for granted.

_Of course I'm attracted to this ghost just because she's pretty_ , Soul groaned silently.  _That's just me, I guess._

_This isn't a dream, it's more of a...a vision? Another plane of existence or some weird stuff like that? This feels all too real._

Summer let go of Soul gently. She smiled one more time. "I can only speak to you in dreams or in meditation, and it seems you are waking up."

Soul's eyes widened. "I am?" Before even saying "I", her surroundings began to fade, starting at the horizon and getting closer to her and Summer by the second. As the darkness closed in, Soul reached to Summer and grabbed her hand. "Wait! I have, like, a million questions!"

Summer laughed. She held Soul's hand lightly. "We will speak again, if you'll allow me. In the mean time, practice mindfulness. Learn to meditate so we may speak while you're awake."

The darkness was closing in fast. Soul shook her head. "I need answers."

Summer closed her eyes and continued to smile gently. "The answers will come. Be patient." She pulled Soul's hand to her mouth, and she kissed it lightly. "We will speak again soon, Soul. Stay faithful."

The darkness sped towards them, but Soul no longer felt agitated. She simply looked up at Summer, letting her smile and her words settle her nerves. Soul sighed, acknowledging how close the darkness was to enveloping them. She closed her eyes as it engulfed her...

* * *

Soul's eyes opened slowly. She saw a lamp on a nightstand, faint blue moonlight peeking through the gap in the curtains. She was in Ruby's guest room, lying in a cold sweat in the bed.

She immediately sat up, her head pounding and aching. She wanted to try to wrap her mind around the dream she had just had, but her sheets being damp with sweat and her head throbbing made it difficult. She pushed away her covers and stood to her feet, wearing only her undergarments since she had no nighttime clothing with her. She simply stood there, holding her head in her hands as she took deep breaths, trying to settle her mind and nerves.

_So there's a girl...the first Summer Maiden...in my head._ Soul groaned, the mere thought making her headache worse. Why did she just show up now?Soul had had these powers for about a year. Why had it taken Summer so long to speak to her? Why could she only talk to her while asleep or in meditation, whatever that meant? Could Summer read her thoughts?

Soul had too much to think about to have to deal with such a splitting headache. She decided to go searching for some pain medication. She pulled on her shirt and pants from the day before and left the photo-ridden room and entered the photo-ridden hallway. Her bare feet brushed along the soft carpet as the faint moonlight shining through the windows guided her to the bathroom. She switched on the light and winced at the sudden brightness, aggravating her headache. She squinted her eyes as she looked around. White tiles lined the floors, with a sink to her left and a shower the right. The toilet sat at the far corner of the bathroom with a cabinet above it. Soul figured Ruby would understand if she caught her nosing around in her medicine cabinet.

Soul opened the cabinet doors and did her best to quietly move around medicine bottles and spare rolls of toilet paper. She eventually found a large bottle of pain killers. She removed the bottle from the cabinet and carefully shut the doors, then left the bathroom with the light on and headed down to the kitchen for a glass of water.

She was halfway down the stairs when she realized she wasn't alone. Ruby sat in the living room, reclined in an easy chair and staring at a framed picture. She seemed tired, but had probably given up on sleep.

Soul tried to figure out the appropriate way to get Ruby's attention without startling her. She reached the bottom of the staircase and lightly cleared her throat.

Ruby looked over at her, lowering the picture frame to her chest. "Oh. Hey Soul." She croaked. She rubbed her eye. "What's wrong?"

Soul chuckled quietly. "I've got a headache, so I found some medicine and came down here for some water." She stepped towards the kitchen, acknowledging Ruby's nighttime getup. She wore a black tank top and red shorts, her pale legs on display. Soul made an effort to not look at them for long.

Ruby nodded towards her. "Alright." She sat up in her chair and placed the framed photo face-down on the nearby end table. She got to her feet and walked towards Soul. "I'll get you that water." She offered.

"Oh, it's alright, I can get it." Soul waved a hand.

"I'm already getting it." Ruby told her, a joking look in her eye despite her obvious sleepiness. She turned and headed to the kitchen. "Nice bed-head, by the way." She quipped.

Soul put a hand on her head and immediately did her best to smooth down the various out of place locks of hair on her head. There would be no fixing it, though. Not without a brush, which Soul did not have at the moment.

Ruby returned with a glass of water. She offered it to Soul, who gladly accepted it. "Thank you, Ruby." Soul smiled at her.

Ruby took the medicine bottle from Soul and opened it for her. She plucked a couple pills from the container and handed them to the Faunus. "Don't mention it." She capped the bottle as Soul took her medicine. Ruby began to head to the staircase. "I'll put this away for you, then I'm going to try to go back to sleep."

Soul turned. She felt a pang of panic, remembering her experience while asleep. She needed answers from somebody. She lunged towards Ruby and instinctively grabbed her hand. "Wait."

Ruby froze, looking down at their joined hands. Ruby glanced at Soul and smirked halfheartedly, seemingly too tired to be her usual witty self. "What?"

Soul sighed, realizing what she was about to say might sound crazy to Ruby. "I had a dream tonight." She began, still grasping Ruby's hand for a reason she didn't know.

"What about?" Ruby asked, looking down at their hands again but doing nothing to separate them.

"Well..." Soul shook her head. "It was weird."

"A weird dream?" Ruby asked. "Scary-weird, funny-weird, or sexy-weird?"

Soul blinked a couple times, then finally let go of Ruby's hand. She sighed. "None of those! It was more...surreal, like it felt real."

"What happened?" Ruby asked, intrigued.

Soul shrugged, looked to the side for a moment.  _I'm not going to get much sleep tonight anyway. Might as well talk about this now._ "Well...this  _girl_  spoke to me." Soul began, crossing her arms and looking down. "She said her name was Summer and that she–"

"What?" Ruby interjected suddenly, seemingly out of impulse. Her eyes had widened, her sleepiness disappearing temporarily. "Her name was..."

"Summer." Soul nodded, noting Ruby's reaction. "She said she was the first Summer Maiden."

Ruby let that last sentence sink in, and she calmed down, her eyes returning to their narrow tiredness. "Oh. Well, what did she tell you?"

Soul turned her palms upwards, a visual clue to her inability to fully comprehend what she was trying to explain. "She said she had...tied her Aura to the Summer Maiden powers, and that the other Maidens are the same, and that if I use the power for good, she would help me learn it, but..." her voice trailed away for a moment, taking notice of Ruby's expression of utter confusion. "If I use the powers for evil, she would try to 'burden' me."

Ruby stood frozen to her spot, staring at Soul. She held her breath, trying to understand. "Uhm...go on." She stammered.

Soul looked at her for a moment, then sighed and bowed her head. "Well, that's the short version of it." She crossed her arms and shook her head. "I'm honestly...really freaked out right now." She wouldn't meet Ruby's eyes, opting to stare at the floor.

Ruby nodded, rubbing her eye. "Yeah, I'd probably be pretty shaken up, too." She stepped forward a bit. "Is there...anything I can do for you?"

That made Soul look up at her, and Ruby was startled to see tears building up in Soul's eyes. The Faunus girl pursed her lips, doing her best to hold back. She shook her head. "No." She stepped past Ruby, heading up the stairs.

Ruby turned and watched her go, wanting to speak up but realizing maybe it would be best for Soul to think. Ruby knew Soul was very conflicted about being Summer Maiden, but she needed to sort out her inner qualms on her own at first. Soul had to decide for herself what she would use the Summer Maiden's powers for, if at all. Ruby couldn't force her into anything.

Now alone in her living room, Ruby no longer felt the urge to go back to bed. She instead went back to her recliner, lying back and groaning.  _So the original Summer Maiden can sort of control the current Maiden's powers._ Ruby grimaced.  _I wonder if the same can be said for the Fall Maiden._


	6. Emergence From Ashes

**Chapter 5: Emergence from Ashes**

**Somewhere in Vacuo...**

"Business has been terrible the past few months. These uprisings and fights have scared everyone away. I'm lucky if I can fill two rooms at one time." The bearded man spoke to his Scroll as he held it to his ear. He sat at the front desk in his small candlelit lobby, leaned back in his leather chair with his boots resting on the wooden table. It was nighttime, and he had just put his two kids to bed. "I'm getting pretty worried. I don't want to have to move again. It's hard on the kids." He paused to listen to the voice that spoke back. "Yeah, I have one guest staying right now, but if I don't get more guests soon, I'll be setting up shop elsewhere. Keeping an inn in Vacuo is becoming a lost cause."

He listened as the other person spoke but was instantly distracted by the door opening, the little bell hung above the door ringing as two individuals entered. "Hey, I have guests. I'll call you tomorrow." The man closed his Scroll and stood to his feet eagerly. "Welcome to The Sampson Inn! How can I...help you?" His voice decrescendoed as he got a better look at the pair. The first to enter was short and looked about twenty with short curly blonde hair. They wore a light blue button-up shirt and white jeans. To their left was a slightly taller girl, looking a bit older, wearing a white trench coat and black jeans, but her most stunning feature was her long hair, divided into pink and dark brown along its part.

The man waited for one of them to speak, but instead, the girl with the two-tone hair lifted her hands in front of her chest and started signing. The innkeeper watched in confusion, but the girl's companion did him the favor of interpreting. "Hello, my name is Neo."

The man's eyebrows went up, but he nodded with a smile. "Oliver Sampson." He reached towards them, Neo was the first to shake his hand. She had a sly look on her face, but he decided to not mind it too much. She seemed to have understood his words. She must've been able to hear, but not speak, hence her hand signs and interpreter. He then looked at Neo's companion. "And who might you be?"

"Lyka." Neo's accomplice offered a hand.

They shook hands. "Pleasure to have you two stop by." They broke the handshake, and Oliver put his hands together. "Well, how can I assist you?"

Neo began to sign again, and Lyka once again interpreted for her. "We are looking for someone, and we have reason to believe she is staying at this inn." Neo crossed her arms, looking at Oliver knowingly.

Oliver hummed, his eyebrows knitting with bemusement. "Are you two with the authorities?"

Neo shook her head, no.

"I see." The innkeeper stroked his beard. "I'm afraid I can't offer information on my guests without proper authorization."

Neo signed, "No inn would need to be so secretive, that is, unless these guests are of high importance, perhaps?"

Oliver looked to the side, trying to not seem suspicious. "It's simple courtesy to give guests privacy."

Neo rolled her eyes. "Could we meet this guest?" She signed.

Oliver ruffled at her request. "It's almost midnight. I couldn't possibly bother her with–"

Neo suddenly slammed her fist on the desk, making Oliver flinch. The girl's eyes, which once had been two-tone to match her hair, were now red.

Lyka stepped forward, expressing the seriousness of the situation with the tone of voice. "Sir, this girl is a fugitive, and we plan to turn her in. If you insist on harboring her, we will have to do the same to you."

Oliver stepped back as Neo stood back up. "Are you bounty hunters?" He asked as Neo clinched her fists.

"We've been hired for a similar such job." Lyka told him, stepping around the desk and approaching Oliver threateningly. "And you need to allow us to see her, to confirm her identity."

Oliver backed away from Lyka, refusing to underestimate these two. If they were bounty hunters, Oliver knew they had more fighting prowess than he could ever muster, despite his considerable size advantage. He put up his hands defensively. "Alright, look. My inn has been struggling, but this girl has been staying here quite a bit. She pays me extra to not tell anyone about her, and the extra money has helped me feed my kids." He folded his hands in a pleading manner. "Please. If you take her away, I'll surely run out of money."

Lyka glanced at Neo, who shook her head and signed, "She is too dangerous for you to keep around." She stepped closer to Oliver, still staring at him with red eyes. She aggressively signed the next sentence, he hands moving sharply, "And so are we."

Oliver sighed, beginning to realize the situation. There was no getting out of this. Unless...

No. He couldn't allow them to take his only source of money, even if the girl was a fugitive. Oliver had kids to look after, and he wasn't about to give up.

He decided to fight back. He knew that he had to strike quick in order to catch them before they could draw whatever weapons they probably had. Oliver roared and swung his fist at Neo, who effortlessly ducked beneath his strike. With his other arm, Oliver swung at Lyka, who sidestepped and then lunged at him. Despite a small stature, Lyka put enough force behind that shoulder block to knock Oliver into the wall behind him. By the time he righted his footing, the two had drawn their weapons.

Neo held a simple rapier, the handle curled at the bottom like an umbrella's handle. Lyka's weapon was a staff with Dust crystals embedded throughout it's wooden body, pointed metal spearheads attached at the ends. Oliver had no idea where the staff had come from. It was as if it had appeared out of thin air.

Lyka held the staff with both hands. "Don't fight us." Lyka advised, displaying a determined look, as if not having a lot of fighting experience but still feeling confident. "Your kids need their father."

Those words hit Oliver like a bucket of ice. He froze, suddenly terrified.  _These two...they could kill me. And then what would they do if they found the kids?_

He conceded, dropping to his knees and putting his hands up in surrender. "Fine." He stammered. "She's in room one, but stay away from my kids."

Neo put her rapier away inside her coat. She smirked and looked at Lyka. She signed something, but Lyka did not recite what she was saying. Neo then headed up the nearby staircase.

Oliver looked up at Lyka, fear in his eyes. "What did she say?" He asked.

Lyka said nothing, refusing to answer, simply standing at the ready in case Oliver made any moves. Lyka seemed unhappy with having to threaten Oliver and his family, but didn't budge.

"What did she say?" Oliver asked again, more sternly this time.

Before Lyka could even consider responding, a loud crash emanated from upstairs, followed by the sound of broken wood hitting the ground and rapid footsteps. Lyka turned to see someone running down the stairs.

It was the girl they'd come for. Her green hair waved behind her as she ran. She adorned a white crop top and white jeans, carrying a backpack. For a second, Lyka made eye contact with her, and the next, Lyka lunged at her, staff at the ready. However, before Lyka even got close, Lyka's surroundings morphed in an unnatural way. Lyka stumbled and fell, then turned to stare at the ceiling as it appeared to be crumbling and falling. Lyka screamed, expecting to soon be crushed, but when the impact never came, Lyka looked back up and saw the ceiling back as it was.

_Dammit._   _I thought I wouldn't fall for it._

Neo came running down the stairs. She saw Lyka and, without slowing her strides, signed, "Come on!" The next moment, she was out the door, chasing the girl.

Lyka stood and followed. The sand shuffled under their feet as Lyka and Neo pursued their target. They were in a remote village in the desert, with few formal buildings and many impermanent tents. There weren't a lot of places to hide here, which was probably why the girl they were after had resorted to staying in an inn.

Lyka knew they had to catch up soon or risk losing the girl. With staff in hand, Lyka grabbed the part of it embedded with red Fire Dust. The entire staff glowed red, and Lyka drove the end into the ground. The subsequent explosion rocketed Lyka into the air, in the direction of the target.

In midair, Lyka adjusted the staff, grasping the white Ice Dust portion. The staff glowed white, and Lyka pointed the end towards the girl, descending repidly.

A second later, the girl was frozen in ice from the waist down, lying face down in the sand.

Lyka groaned, pushing off the sand and standing. Neo caught up to them and sighed, nodding at Lyka thankfully. Lyka smiled proudly.

"Get me out of this!" Emerald yelled, trying her best to push herself off the ground, but her entire lower half being frozen in ice made her attempts at moving futile.

Neo knelt next to Emerald and smiled slyly. Emerald sighed at seeing her. "Neo. Why are you after me?" She asked angrily.

Neo signed to her, and Lyka began to interpret, "Since you abandoned Salem, we–"

"I can understand her without your help, thank you!" Emerald snapped at Lyka.

"Hey!" Lyka shot back. "I'm just doing my job!"

Emerald looked at Neo. "Who is this?" She asked begrudgingly.

"My name is Lyka." the blond told her bitterly. "And I-"

"How'd you manage to hire someone shorter than  _you_?" Emerald asked Neo sarcastically.

"Huh?" Lyka asked.

Neo smacked Emerald on the shoulder to reprimand her and to get her attention. She signed, "Since you abandoned Salem, she hired us to track you down."

Emerald scoffed, shaking her head. "Okay, I'm pissed at you, but the fact that you signed 'Salem' as 'Grimm lady' is actually funny."

Neo rolled her eyes, which had returned to their original colors. "You know the drill." She signed smugly. "We're taking you to 'Grimm lady', or whoever pays us more."

Emerald sighed. "How much is she paying you?"

Neo shook her head, refusing to tell her.

"Bullshit, just tell me." Emerald demanded.

"More than you could pay us to let you go." Lyka told her wryly.

Emerald groaned. "Neo, aren't we friends?"

Neo tilted her head to the side. This was the first she had heard of being friends with Emerald. "We robbed a few banks together a few months ago." Neo signed dismissively. "But that doesn't necessarily make us friends."

Emerald rolled her eyes. "I bothered to learn hand signs. Doesn't that count for something?"

"Neo?" Lyka interjected. "You know her?"

Neo shrugged. "Former..." she searched for the right word to sign. "Coworkers." She finished.

"'Coworkers'?" Emerald asked incredulously. "We were roommates at one point!"

"For like a week!" Neo signed angrily, eyebrows high with displeasure. She stood back to her feet and looked at Lyka. She pointed at the ice holding Emerald down, and Lyka understood her signal to break it. Lyka pointed the staff's end at the ice and thrust it forward. The ice instantly split in two, freeing Emerald's lower body.

Though she considered making a run for it, Emerald knew she wasn't going to get very far. She got back to her feet. "Alright, I'll cooperate for now, seeing how you'll just kick me in the head or something if I don't. Here's to hoping I don't have to go back to Salem." Emerald then paused, looking down. "Wait a minute. Who else would possibly want to put a bounty on me?" She looked at Neo. "You said you'd wait for someone to pay more for me. Why would anyone–?"

Neo put a hand up to cut her off. Her expression had become very serious. She signed, "You don't know what happened before you ran off?"

Emerald narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"

Neo let out a silent sigh. She looked over at Lyka and shrugged.

Lyka stepped forward to look at Emerald. "It's best if this is discussed where no one else can hear."

Emerald looked at Lyka for a moment. "Let me guess. Maiden business?"

Lyka nodded. "We'll tell you more later. And if you'd like another try at respecting me a bit more, let's try this. Hi, I'm Lyka."

Emerald sighed, nodding with acceptance. "Yeah, bad first impression." She shook Lyka's hand. "I'm Emerald. Sorry, I'm a bitch sometimes."

"Apology accepted." Lyka huffed a laugh.

Neo walked between them, waving for them to follow. The two trailed Neo's path, Emerald noticing the small hovercraft parked not very far ahead. Fancy tech like that didn't show up in a Vacuo village like this very often. No doubt, the craft belonged to Neo and Lyka.

Beside her, Emerald noticed Lyka lift the staff in the air. Then in a sudden flash, the staff was gone. It literally vanished. A stunned Emerald was about to ask what the hell just happened, but Lyka beat her to it. "It's my Semblance." Explained Lyka, as if this was not the first time Lyka had had to explain this to a surprised onlooker. "I can store objects in a...second location, I guess you could say, and then summon them back to me."

"Wow." Emerald marveled. "So you can summon anything?"

Lyka gave a shake of the head. "Only what I've 'stored away', and I can only 'carry' so much."

Emerald nodded, chuckling. "So what else do you have 'stored away'?"

"That's something I tend to keep secret." Lyka pointedly looked at Emerald to further the point.

Emerald took a moment to process Lyka's response, then nodded, looking forward. "Got it."

They reached the small craft. It was silver, it's body design similar to that of an Atlesian airship, but it was the size of an SUV. Lyka took to the drivers seat while Neo deliberately sat in the back seat with Emerald in order to keep an eye on her, just in case Emerald was dumb enough to try to run. Lyka started the engine, an electric whirling noise growing in volume as the craft ascended a few inches. The three then sped away from the village in a cloud of sand.

Meanwhile at the Sampson Inn, Oliver's kids were fine, but he'd have to buy a new door for room one.

* * *

**Meet the OC:**

**Name: Lyka Amaranth**

**Age: 20**

**Species: Human**

**From: Vale**

**Semblance and Special Abilities: Object Summoning**

**Weapon: Double-spearheaded staff infused with various Dust types**


	7. Divide Them

**Chapter 6: Divide Them**

"So, yeah. That's the basic gist of it." Ruby finished her explanation, laughing nervously at how crazy it sounded.

The expression on Lie Ren's face was uncharacteristically surprised. He sat at his desk in his well organized office, his elbows propped up on the wooden tabletop.

Nora, who had been there to hear everything, summarized everything Ruby had just said. "So...The  _current_  Summer Maiden has the  _first_  Summer Maiden in her head."

Ruby nodded, chuckling. "That's what Soul made it sound like."

Ren got to his feet, pacing around his desk and standing beside Nora. He looked towards Ruby, who sat in a chair lazily, flask in hand. "What amazes me the most about this is the fact that Ozpin never told us anything about the original Maidens being connected to the current Maidens."

"There're a lot of things Ozpin never told us." Ruby grumbled lowly, taking a drink.

Nora and Ren looked at each other, recognizing Ruby's tone of voice. Anytime she talked about Ozpin, her voice would become cold and bitter. "Uhm, Ruby?" Nora spoke.

Ruby looked up at her friend. Nora wore a pink jacket and a white skirt, a rather playful outfit for a teacher. "What is it?" Ruby asked.

Nora cocked her head to the side and looked away for a moment. She sighed. "We know you're not the biggest fan of Ozpin's..."

Ruby scoffed, standing to her feet and stepping forward a bit. "You guys, I've told you I'm doing my best to track down Ozpin's new host." She crossed her arms, tucking her flask underneath. "But I frankly don't see the point."

"Ruby." Ren stepped forward, gently reaching a hand out and placing it on his friend's shoulder. He regarded her with a kind look in his eyes. "You may have reservations about working with Ozpin, but we  _need_  him in order to stop  _her_."

Ruby stepped backwards enough to escape Ren's reach. She closed her eyes and sighed. "I know." She looked down at her flask, tracing her thumb across the rose emblem etched in the metal. "I just...knowing everything that Ozpin has done, and everything he's capable of..." She held her breath, doing her best to figure out a way to end that sentence, but failing to find the words. She shook her head and began taking gulp after gulp from her flask.

"This conflict with Salem is always going to come with danger." Ren said to her as she finished off the contents of her flask, the red hooded girl exhaling sharply as she put away the empty bottle. Ren waited for Ruby to meet his eyes before continuing. "And Oscar knew that."

Ruby gritted her teeth, that name striking a nerve. "Oscar didn't have a fucking choice!" She yelled, then looked away. She shook her head and went over to Ren's desk, leaning her elbows on it. " _Oscar_  wanted to fight along side us.  _Oscar_ wanted to protect us, but Oz didn't trust him. Oz had to take over his body  _forcefully,_  just so he could try to fight Salem. But Oz couldn't beat her because he was using the unconditioned body of a 15-year-old!" She slammed her hands in the desk before turning to face a concerned Ren and Nora. "You know why I have a problem with Ozpin, so I don't need to explain. Just know that if it comes to choosing between Ozpin, and the people I love..." Ruby let her shoulders slump forward a bit, her voice quieting. "Just...don't expect me to abandon my friends just to help out that old wizard."

Nora stepped toward Ruby. "Hey," she said in a friendly tone of voice. "We get it. We've all been through a ton of crap, but we just gotta keep trying."

Ruby sighed, nodding. "Yeah." She stepped by Nora, heading for the door. "I remember when I used to say things like that."

"Ruby, wait." Ren managed to tug on Ruby's hood just before she reached the exit. She turned to look at him as he spoke. "Please bring Soul here. I wish to speak to her about her...connection."

Ruby hummed, nodding. "Figured you'd be the one she should talk to about 'mindfulness.'" She opened the door. "I'll be back with her soon." She left without anything but a minor slam of the door.

Ren leaned against a bookcase and sighed as Nora stepped up beside him. "It's a shame that she's lost faith in Ozpin," Ren murmured.

"Well, we can't blame her." Nora pondered. "She's already lost her uncle."

Ren looked at Nora. "We've all lost plenty." He walked back over to his desk and pulled his Scroll from his jacket pocket. "Ruby just handles that loss differently." He placed his Scroll on the desktop, and a hologram screen appeared in front of him. He navigated through the interface quickly, with Nora looking on. A map of Remnant appeared, their current location in Mistral marked by a red dot. Towards the west side of the map, a location in Vacuo was marked by a green dot, while the city of Atlas was marked with a blue dot. Strewn about the world were dozens of tiny black points, mostly concentrated in the kingdoms, while some resided beyond the kingdoms in villages and camps

Nora looked the map over. "At least the Huntsmen and Huntresses of the world are coming back." She mumbled. She looked up at Ren. "Still think tracking every Huntsmen on Remnant is necessary?"

Ren nodded. "We can't let anymore mass disappearances occur." He pointed up at Atlas, where a large concentration of black points gathered. "Winter let me know of how well the new Academy in Atlas is working. They're producing more fighters than they need."

"So we should transfer them to Menagerie." Nora proposed, pointing down at the Southeastern island, which distinctly lacked black points.

"Sadly," Ren exhaled. "Some of the Atlas recruits refuse to go to 'Faunus Island', as Winter told me some of them called it."

Nora looked down. "It's a shame some people still think that way."

Ren nodded in agreement. "Well, the White Fang hasn't helped with that." He picked up his Scroll, the hologram disappearing, and he looked over at Nora. "I do think it's time we stepped up training for our students. They need to get out in the field as soon as possible."

Nora tilted her head to the side, chuckling nervously. "I'm not completely confident in some of them quite yet."

Ren sighed, but smiled lovingly at his companion. "That's probably because you make class too much fun, and not enough work."

"That's probably it." Nora immediately agreed.

The door suddenly opened. The two turned to see Jaune enter. The tall young man sported his white and gold armor over a black jacket, with matching black pants and boots. He had forgone his more casual wardrobe of old since becoming a teacher and a full-blown Huntsman. "Hey, uh, could you two help me out with something?" He asked nervously.

His old teammates both simultaneously raised their eyebrows at Jaune's greeting. "Is there a problem?" Ren asked.

Before Jaune could answer, a muffled crash could be heard from outside, followed by muffled yells of students. The three all cringed at the noise.

Jaune scratched his neck. "I think a student has discovered their Semblance, and...I don't think they can handle it."

* * *

**Atlas Alternative Academy**

For the fifth straight day, snow was scattering throughout the school grounds. Snow storms were one thing, but blizzards lasting days on end were outrageous. It was almost impossible to travel to and from campus without some form of vehicle trouble. Nevertheless, Winter Schnee had made it to the Atlas Alternative Academy, bundled in multiple layers of clothing as she trudged through the snow towards the entrance of the school. Compared to Atlas Academy, 3A was not as grand. There were two buildings: a dormitory and the classroom complex. Winter was approaching the latter.

She knew she was already late for this evening's appointment. She hastened her pace as she neared the four story building constructed of white stone and concrete. She was heading for her office on the top floor.

She figured she would be lucky to get up to her office by midnight. It was five minutes until then once Winter entered. The main foyer was a tall, narrow room with a red and yellow color scheme chosen specifically to contrast with Atlas Academy's white and blue. There were various display cases that served as a miniature museum, depicting parts of Atlas and Mantle history that did not get as much attention otherwise: Atlesian Faunus culture, Mantle's contributions to society, et cetera. At the back of the foyer was the main staircase, and Winter hurried up the steps. With a relieved sigh, she reached the top floor and approached her office doors with one minute to spare. She stood in front of the large wooden double doors and took a moment to check her hair and steady her breathing from her quick ascent up the stairs. Just as the clock struck midnight, she pulled the left door open.

Weiss was just about to do the same from within the office. When the door suddenly opened, the sisters both jumped back with surprised yelps before they both dissolved into laughter. "So you did make it." Weiss said between chuckles. "I thought I was going to have to come find you and bring a snowplow."

Winter took a moment to settle herself and let her laughter quiet. "No, no, I'm quite fine." She took a deep, steady breath which helped her compose herself.

Weiss widened the doorway and allowed Winter to enter. As she stepped inside the office, she noticed the third member of their meeting sitting in her chair behind her red wooden desk. The tall girl with long, straight black hair lounged in the black leather chair, turning the chair side-to-side as she stared at the ceiling. When Winter entered, the girl looked over at her with bright sapphire eyes and smirked. "Chancellor Winter!" She greeted in with mock grandeur.

Winter sighed with slight annoyance and waved her hand to the side. "Park, I have told you time and again to please not sit in my chair."

The girl named Park rolled her eyes but continued smiling. "It's just a chair."

Winter sighed again as Weiss chuckled. Despite Winter no longer being in the military, she still appreciated a sense of order. Allowing Park to lounge around in a chair specifically designated for the chancellor of the academy was not very orderly, even if it was a trivial matter. "Well if you wouldn't mind, I would like to sit in my chair, please."

"Pfff." Park rolled her eyes but maintained her smirk. She stood from the chair and walked over to one of the more plain looking seats towards the side wall. She wore a blue jacket and white shorts, an odd assortment of clothing considering the Atlas climate.

Winter assumed her rightful place behind her desk. With a sigh, she took a moment to recline and rest for a few seconds. Then she looked back over towards her younger sister, who still stood by the doors. "So, what was the urgent communique you received?"

Weiss walked over to her desk, a rather incredulous smile on her face. "You won't believe our luck," She began.

"How so?" Winter asked, leaning forward with intrigue.

Weiss pulled her Scroll from her pocket and took a few moments to navigate the device. She then extended it to her sister, who took it and studied the screen. Within the messaging app, a text from Ruby read "We found the solstice."

Winter's eyebrows shot up. She read the message one more time and shook her head. "You're right. I don't believe our luck." She gave Weiss her Scroll back. "Did she explain anything further?"

Weiss shook her head as she put away the device. "As soon as she sent that, I called you here. I figured you'd like to know about it."

"What is it?" Park suddenly interjected, seemingly very curious.

The Schnee sisters turned to the girl. They were both silent for a moment, neither of them quite used to talking about Maiden business with anyone but each other, but they couldn't keep Park in the dark. "RNJR found the Summer Maiden," Winter told her.

Park raised an eyebrow. "Ranger?"

Weiss chuckled. Park's unawareness of everything always seemed humorous to her. They had withheld a lot from the young Maiden because they feared telling her everything would make the young girl want to run away, but she knew enough about how Maiden powers worked. "Ruby Rose, our informant in Mistral, found the Summer Maiden."

Park nodded. "Ohhhh." She tapped her foot on the ground a couple times. "So I have some competition, huh?"

Winter sighed and shook her head. "Whoever the Summer Maiden is, she is effectively your closest ally. Two Maiden's fighting along side each other is an almost insurmountable force."

"So you want me to tag team with her so we can beat what's-her-name?" Park asked.

"Cinder," Weiss told her. As far as Park knew, Cinder was their ultimate enemy. Park knew nothing about Salem, the Relics, Ozpin. All she knew was how the Maiden powers were transferred and that the Fall Maiden, Cinder, was after the other Maidens. They would eventually tell her the whole truth once she matured.

"That will be the eventual goal," Winter said. "But right now, both you and the Summer Maiden must train to master your powers before either of you will even get close to Cinder."

Park sighed. "And how long will that take?" She asked with a tinge of annoyance.

Winter knit her eyebrows, not enjoying Park's lack of respect. "As long as it must."

Park hummed in displeasure but nodded. "Yeah. Alright."

Weiss came over to her. "Just be patient. I know this hasn't been easy on you, but you have us, and eventually you'll get to know Ruby and Ren and-"

"I know." Park stood up suddenly and walked past Weiss, heading for the door. "Everything will happen  _eventually,_ " she said bitterly before grabbing the door handle. "I still don't understand why I can't talk to the other kids at this school."

Winter began, "We have explained to you many times that-"

"Yeah, I know how many times you've explained." She pulled open the door. Without looking back, she muttered, "I just want a friend or two. Not mentors." She then left, letting the door slam a bit after her departure.

Winter sighed, leaning her elbows on her desk. "Why couldn't the Winter Maiden be a bit more...honorable?" Winter mumbled.

Weiss came over and stood beside her. "She's still a kid. I don't blame her for wanting to have just a small bit of a social life."

Winter leaned back in her chair and nodded. "I know that. I just wish she could understand how important it is for her to cooperate with us."

Weiss nodded. "Well, she doesn't know the true importance. That's on us."

Winter glanced up at her, then looked back down and nodded.

Weiss went back to where Park had been sitting and sat down. "So...now that we have Winter and Summer..." She didn't finish because her meaning was understandable to Winter already.

"I still think we should maintain our current plan." Winter told her. "It may not be the most... _ethical_  course of action, but if we remain a step ahead of  _her_ , it will be better for everyone."

"Except for Park and the Solstice." Weiss added.

Winter closed her eyes for about ten seconds. She inhaled deeply and nodded. "We know how much Salem knows, but if we can know even a little something that she doesn't, it puts us at a big advantage." Winter looked at Weiss, utter certainty in her voice. "We cannot change our plan. Even if it puts Park and the Solstice in danger, if we succeed, the whole world will benefit."

Weiss processed those words, looking downward. "Yeah. I hope you're right."

They were silent for a few more seconds before Winter nodded. "As do I."

* * *

**Location Unknown...**

The room was dark and cold. There was a wooden chair, but nothing else could be found. It smelled stale and dry, the concrete floors grated on the captive's bare feet. Her vision failed to fully adjust to her surroundings. The only way to know the true size of the room was to walk from wall to wall. What little light there was peeked under the door. It was a faint purple light and did little to help the prisoner see. She spent her time sitting in the darkness, usually too tired to even make any noise. Every now and then she could produce a small flame to be able to see, but she would quickly become too bored with her surroundings to even bother. Right now she simply sat in the chair, her arm pulled to her chest in an effort to warm it. All she wore was a simple black robe.

It had been about five, maybe seven hours since the door had last opened. She would bide her time by thinking about different people, people she liked, people she hated, people she had killed. It all ran together into a big mass of mortal memory, faces of the living and lost. She hated thinking too much. If she was left to her own thoughts for too long, her mind would tear itself to pieces.

She really wanted out of here.

Suddenly, the door swung open with a clang. Purple light flooded the room, causing the prisoner to acknowledge someone's presence and to tie her robe closed to shield whatever fume of dignity she still possessed. Once her eyes adjusted to the light, she saw who stood there in the doorway, and she stopped breathing.

"Dear Cinder," The woman spoke with her deceptively gentle voice. The light behind her made her appear to be a simple silhouette, which only enhanced her air of menace. "What have you learned?"

The prisoner, Cinder, looked at the ghostly woman with her one eye. Her face was devoid of emotion. She simply looked exhausted. She gave a slight shake over her head. "I have learned..." Her voice was raspy. It hurt to speak. "That I am...my mind is..." She shook her head again. "Fall is..."

The woman murmured in displeasure. "Cinder, I chose you to be my Fall Maiden so you might help me defeat all Maidens, and yet..." She stepped forward ever slightly, casting the room in a bit more darkness than before. "Fall herself still torments you."

Cinder growled, clenching her right fist. "I...will beat...the urge."

Salem chuckled softly. Her face was still veiled in darkness. "You should have done so already."

"Where is she?" Cinder rasped, her eye directed up at Salem, regarding her bitterly.

"Still missing," Salem answered with displeasure. "And you are the only one to blame for that."

"Your Highness..." Cinder tried to begin, but Salem was already turning to leave. "Let me track her down."

Salem laughed as she stepped through the doorway. She glanced over her shoulder, a red eye boring into the Fall Maiden. "You wish to run away."

"I would return." Cinder swore.

"You know the truth. Do not be a fool." Salem turned away once more. "You're a coward."

Cinder hissed in anger, but before she could say anymore, the door slammed shut. The darkness returned, and Cinder felt her emotions fade. She no longer felt anger. She simply returned to within her mind. She returned to the battle being waged within herself.

The first Fall Maiden was destroying Cinder. She could remember nothing but the faces of those she had hurt. All the innocent people trampled underfoot, all for her pursuit of power. She felt guilty for the first time in her life. She couldn't escape the feeling. She tried to think about anything else but had no way of freeing herself from her own burden. A burden she chose to carry.

Of all her guilt, she felt worst about Emerald. She hadn't killed her, but she had done enough to regret it all. There was no way of knowing where she was now.

* * *

**Meet the OC:**

**Name: Park Elice**

**Age: 17**

**Species: Human**

**From: Vacuo**

**Semblance and Special Abilities: Semblance unknown, Winter Maiden powers**

**Weapon: None (She's had no formal combat training prior to her Maiden powers being discovered)**


	8. Queen of the Grimm

**Chapter 7: Queen of the Grimm**

Soul did not encounter Summer again that night, mostly because she didn't sleep very well.

At around 8 a.m., she gave up on trying to sleep and sat up on the side of the bed. She switched on the lamp and took a moment to stretch. It was kind of cold, but she didn't hurry to get dressed. Her mind was not quieting down, just as it hadn't all night. Everything about being Summer Maiden scared her. She felt like she couldn't handle the responsibility. If she was supposed to be this great hero like Summer had seemed, Soul was certain she would fail.

She tried to distract herself by studying Ruby's photo gallery. It was like an unlabeled museum on Ruby's life. Just the single wall she was staring at featured dozens of different people. Soul scanned over each picture, most of them just simple smiling poses, but others were candid snapshots, some of them seemingly not even taken by Ruby. One showed Ruby dressed in winter attire standing next to a teenaged boy with brown hair and freckles. Ruby was holding what looked like a cane, while the freckled boy seemed to be explaining something about it. Perhaps he was an old classmate from Ruby's academy days. Soul made a mental note to ask about where Ruby went to school and who these people in her photos were.

Soul continued to analyze the pictures. The same blonde girl appeared plenty in this room, just as she had in the living room downstairs. Yang, Soul remembered, along with Blake, Yang's Faunus girlfriend. The girl with the white hair, whose name Soul did not know, also made frequent appearances. There was one photo of her drinking a mug of coffee while sitting on a bench, looking towards the camera with surprise, as if Ruby had taken her off guard.

_Wait a minute_ , Soul thought, looking closer at the white-haired girl.  _That's Weiss Schnee._ She recognized her from the many times her family had vilified the Schnees. The scar over the girl's eye was unmistakable. Soul was utterly confused by a picture of Weiss Schnee seemingly laughing at something Blake had said. She was getting along with a Faunus. Soul never expected to see something like that. Perhaps this Schnee wasn't as bad as the rest had always been.

Soul continued to browse, and she landed on a picture that took her completely aback. In fact, she had to stand up and move closer to the photo. It was at eye level to her and, upon thorough investigation, the context of the picture was unmistakable.

Weiss Schnee sat next to Ruby in what looked like a train car. The seats were red and the outside scenery was snowy. Both girls seemed oblivious to being photographed, because they were engaged in an very close, unmistakably passionate kiss. Weiss Schnee had her hand on Ruby's cheek, their eyes closed with their lips overlapping each other's. It was honestly a beautiful picture, though Soul was even more confused by it. Ruby had never once mentioned Weiss Schnee. Soul wondered if Weiss was gone.

The door suddenly opened, and Ruby poked her head in. "You up?"

Soul whirled around to see her new mentor, and she immediately fell to her knees and hid herself behind her bed. "Ruby! Knock!" She was suddenly very aware of her own lack of clothing.

Ruby's silver eyes were wide. She shook her head and chuckled nervously at having seen Soul in her underwear. "Sorry." She closed the door a little bit and pulled her head out of the room. She continued to speak from the hallway. "I'm going to talk to Ren about your Summer Maiden dreams and stuff, and then I'm heading out on a mission. I'll make you some breakfast if you'd like."

Soul looked back over the bed, her arms pulled in front of her chest just in case Ruby was still looking. Soul was not used to living with someone, and she definitely wasn't used to being seen in just her bra and boyshorts, even by another girl. "Yeah, thank you," she faltered.

Ruby chuckled. "Alright." She began to close the door. "And I promise to knock next time. Also, I promise I won't make any jokes about this."

"Yeah, thanks," Soul said, a little annoyed.

The door closed, and Soul got back to her feet. She began to get dressed.

Ruby had said she would talk to the headmaster about her dream. Soul definitely wanted to speak to someone else about her visions of Summer and Vacuo, but she wasn't sure why Ruby thought she should speak to Lie Ren specifically. Soul supposed she didn't know the man well enough. His expertise in "mindfulness" probably far outstepped her own.

Her thoughts returned to the photo of Ruby kissing Weiss Schnee. Soul felt a feeling of dread settle in her chest. She wanted to ask Ruby about her but was afraid of stirring bad memories. For all Soul knew, Weiss Schnee could be dead. That's the reason behind Ruby keeping all these photos after all.

After putting her clothes on, she left the room. She slowly made her way down to the kitchen, studying the photos as she went. She failed to see another photo of Weiss Schnee and Ruby having some sort romantic moment. Soul knew that if she didn't ask Ruby about her, she'd drive herself crazy speculating.

As Soul entered the kitchen, she was greeted by the smell of a waffle iron and maple syrup. Ruby leaned her elbow on the kitchen counter, dressed in a red cloak over a black and red shirt and black jeans. She smirked at Soul as she entered. "You like waffles?" She looked exhausted but was trying to hide the fact. Soul noticed a coffee maker near Ruby on the counter. The pitcher was empty but stained brown as if it had been filled recently, then emptied. Ruby must have drank quite a bit.

Soul shrugged in response. "Sure." Soul wasn't certain if she had ever eaten a legitimate homemade waffle. She'd had the frozen kind, but she figured there was a difference.

She looked around the kitchen, which was also covered in photographs. She spotted one featuring Weiss Schnee sitting in the back seat of a car. Soul pointed to it and asked "Who's she?"

Ruby followed Soul's pointed finger and chuckled when she saw who she was asking about. "Oh, that's Weiss, my ex."

Soul suddenly straightened herself a bit, her arm falling to her side. "Ah...sorry." At least she knew Weiss Schnee wasn't dead based on Ruby's answer.

Ruby snickered. "Don't worry about it." A three-tone beeping noise blared, and Ruby turned and opened the waffle iron. As she pulled a fresh waffle from the appliance, she continued her explanation. "We gave the whole dating thing a try and it was kind of good and all, but she needed to head off to Atlas with her sister and I needed to stay here, so...we kinda broke it off. Also, she didn't like my drinking." She placed the waffle on a plate, then grabbed a bowl of batter and began pouring it on the iron. "It wasn't a big deal."

Soul walked over and stood near Ruby. "Do you still like her?" She asked, eyeing the freshly made waffle with sudden hunger.

Ruby shrugged her shoulders, shutting the iron and turning it. Soul noticed the faint familiarity in Ruby's voice, the way she talked about other people that weren't there. She became quieter and more eloquent. "We had our ups and downs. I think I liked her because we were friends for a long time. If she were still here, I'd probably still like her, but since she's in Atlas, I don't really worry about it." She looked over at Soul, a sleepy look in her eyes. "Why do you ask?"

Soul's eyebrows went up, her greenish-blue eyes looking to the side. Ruby had a serious case of coffee breath, but Soul wasn't offended. She shook her head. "Just wanted to know more about you."  _And to make sure she wasn't dead or anything._

Ruby chuckled. "Yeah." She glanced up. "You really need a hairbrush, don't you," she said as more of a statement than a question.

The tiger Faunus sighed, not even bothering to reach up and fix any of her hair. She could imagine the chaos. She was faintly aware of how her hair tickled her left feline ear a bit. "Yes. While you're out I can go to my house to get everything."

Ruby shook her head. "You shouldn't go out alone."

Soul raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

Ruby chuckled. "You're the Summer Maiden. If someone's out looking for you and they find you walking around on your own out there, they can just sweep you up and take you away."

Soul shook her head. "So I have to stay here? I can't go anywhere without an escort?"

Ruby shrugged. "Pretty much." She opened the iron and pulled out another waffle.

Soul grimaced. "I don't think I like that idea." It wasn't like she wanted to go anywhere, she just didn't like the feeling of not having the freedom to.

Ruby's shoulders jumped up as she hummed a low laugh. "I didn't expect you to." She reached up to the cabinets and retrieved two plates. "But it's just a precaution. It may get boring sometimes when I'm out running missions. Feel free to help yourself to whatever you find in the kitchen and you can read my books if you'd like." She placed a waffle on each plate, then turned and handed one to Soul. "And there's a TV in my bedroom. I don't mind if you go up there, just don't open any drawers."

Soul smiled slightly at that. "What might I find if I do?" She asked as a sort of joke.

"You'll find a hurt and betrayed Ruby Rose who thought she could trust you to not snoop around her private stuff," Ruby joked, but pointed a finger at her. "Just don't."

Soul nodded, smiling. "I won't."

Ruby nodded, walking past her and taking a seat at the dining table. Soul followed her and sat across from her. Instead of using silverware, Soul simply picked up her waffle and took a bite, not knowing any better. She was famished. Ruby seemed to notice this but didn't feel compelled to say anything.

"You forgot to feed me last night," Soul said to Ruby through a mouthful.

Ruby nodded with a grumble. "Yeah, I realized that right after I sent you to bed. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Soul mumbled, then swallowed her food. "We had a pretty important discussion."

Ruby nodded, looking down at her untouched waffle. "Have you been thinking about that?" She asked.

Soul noticed how her voice dropped again, lower and fainter. She paused just as she was about to take another bite. She looked up at Ruby as she lowered her delicious waffle down to the plate. She remembered back to their conversation about Ruby not wanting Soul to risk her life for her. Soul sighed and shook her head. "I haven't given it much thought."

Ruby nodded with understanding. "Kinda have other things on your mind, huh?"

Soul nodded. "This is really scary." Her voice rang in her ears. She noticed how it shook. Her head was running back through everything she had been told, everything she had learned about how the world really was. It was still too much to process. Soul still didn't know how to react to it all.

"It is scary," Ruby agreed as if she knew first hand. "Discovering you have this incredible magical ability is...confusing."

Soul kept her eyes turned down. "I wish I could just...be braver. I feel like I'm supposed to be this amazing hero, but I know I can't do it." She faintly acknowledged Ruby getting up from her seat, but she paid no further mind at the moment. "I'm not the right person to do this, but I'm stuck like this. I wish I could just give away these powers, but–"

Ruby had come to her side, knelt down, and hugged her. Soul didn't make a move when Ruby wrapped her arms around her neck, but she felt surprised. Soul wanted to do something or say something, but her mind was too cloudy.

Ruby's head was on her shoulder. She sighed and nodded slightly. "I know you're scared, and I'm really sorry." Her voice was quiet and cracked a couple times. Ruby knew how sudden and seemingly uncalled for the hug seemed, but Soul had been fed a ton of mind numbing truths about herself and the world, and she had gotten no form of comfort whatsoever. Ruby felt she had to do this, just as a way to remind Soul that she wasn't alone. "I know what this is like. I'm sorry."

Soul sighed, allowing herself to lean her head on top of Ruby's. She'd normally become flustered and embarrassed by a girl hugging her, but she admitted she really needed this. "I don't know what to do," she admitted.

"I'm here for you," Ruby told her.

Soul was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Thank you." It was the first time Soul had been hugged in a very long time.

Ruby soon stood back up and returned to her seat. Soul admittedly wished the hug had lasted longer, but appreciated what she got. She took another bite of her waffle as Ruby poured some syrup on hers. "After I finish running my mission today, I'll go with you to your house," Ruby offered.

"How do you know what it's like?"

Ruby's fork clicked against the faux porcelain plate. Her cheek was poked out as she chewed her waffle. "Hm?"

"You said you know what this is like." Soul looked down at herself. "Being a Maiden. How do you know?"

Ruby stared at her, as if not understanding her question at first, but then she smiled and chuckled. "Oh, that." She swallowed her food. "No, I'm not a Maiden, if that's what you're asking."

"Then how do you know what it's like? Receiving magical powers?" That fact that Ruby said she could understand what it was like was profoundly intriguing to Soul. Not to mention it made her feel less alone.

Ruby's eyes looked to the side momentarily, and Soul noticed it. Ruby had an answer but wasn't giving it over. "Well, it's hard to explain," she said as if there was more to it, but her taking another bite of her waffle indicated she had no intentions of elaborating.

Ruby had some sort of magical powers. Soul knew it for certain. Ruby's blatant avoidance of the subject was as telling as it could have been. Soul didn't like the fact that Ruby was withholding things like this, considering how much they had already told her. Why choose now to stop telling stories?

Ruby's avoidance of the truth discouraged Soul, and she fell silent. Ruby didn't speak up again until she had finished her waffle. "Well, if there's one thing I know about being a Maiden, it's that once you master your abilities, you're gonna be a pretty formidable foe."

Soul nodded, not yet finished with her own food, partly out of apathy. Ruby stood and took her plate to the kitchen sink, then walked to Soul's side and gave her shoulder a light pat. "I need to get going. You think you'll be fine today, or would you want me to call one of my friends to keep you company?"

Soul sighed, still looking towards her uninteresting waffle. "I don't need company. Thanks."

Ruby recognized her tone of voice, and Ruby knew it was her fault for making Soul feel down. She wanted to explain herself, but she also would rather just avoid the subject. "Well, alright." She made her way towards the door to the living room. Before leaving the kitchen, she looked back at Soul. "I'll be back before you know it."

"Okay." Soul's eyes flicked towards Ruby for the slightest of moments before turning downward again.

Ruby sighed, looking to the side before leaving the room to gather her weapons and supplies from the closet near the front door.

Soul did not take another bite of the waffle. She sat at that table, listening to Ruby load ammunition into her scythes and thinking about what she had said. "I know what this is like." What could she mean? What kind of abilities could Ruby possess, and why would she want to hide them from Soul? She'd already shown off her Semblance, but could she have some sort of separate power?

The front door opened and shut, and Soul realized she was alone. She took a few seconds to look around the room, absorbing the silence. She then stood and hurried to the living room staircase. She ran up the stairs and down the hall to Ruby's bedroom. She opened the door to reveal a very messy room featuring an unmade bed and various articles of clothing strewn about the floor. Compared to the rest of the house, this room was a disaster area. Across from the queen-sized bed was a TV and a entertainment center. A nightstand sat on each side of the bed, and a dresser sat along the same wall as the door, the surface covered with bottles of moisturizer and folded laundry. A window on the opposite end of the room let in sunlight, reflecting off the dresser mirror to make a golden square on the floor. A path to the left led to the master bathroom

"Don't open any drawers," Ruby had told her. Soul silently apologized to Ruby, and she immediately disobeyed her wishes. If Ruby would not explain what her secret magic powers were, maybe Soul could find a diary that might explain for her.

* * *

Ruby was tired to chasing criminals in the lower levels, so she took a simpler job hunting down a prison escapee in the nearby Mistral wilderness just outside the city.

This was a mission that suddenly popped up as Ruby was reviewing all the available jobs at the Hunter Forum. It paid pretty well for a single target mission, so Ruby figured she'd enjoy a day in the forest. Too bad it was unusually hot that day.

Ruby was glad she wore just a plain t-shirt under her cloak. She took her cloak off and tied it around her waist, continuing her journey through the grassy forest, stopping by a tree every now and then to listen for any signs of the escapee or monsters. The forest stayed pretty quiet. The only noises to catch Ruby's ears were the occasional squirrel or bird. She felt herself grow a bit impatient, but she reminded herself she was taking this mission for the peace and quiet. It certainly beat the loud, smelly Lower Levels.

After an hour traversing the forest, the silence was cut off by a low growl, and Ruby came to a stop. She heard it again, accompanied by heavy footsteps. She looked around, searching for the source of the noise, but did not see it. She sighed. She knew what she would soon be dealing with.

The next growl became a roar, and Ruby turned around just in time to see it. An Ursa Major, white spikes jutting from its back, its eyes glowing an angry red. It faced Ruby, pawing at the ground, preparing to charge.

Ruby stepped back a bit, but then exhaled, not moving another inch. She simply whistled at the creature as if calling it to her.

The beast panted a couple times, then roared once again as it took off, barreling towards Ruby with terrifying speed. It bared its teeth, it's dagger-like claws carving divots into the earth as it charged. In response, Ruby lowered her stance and extended a single hand towards the beast. In a few more seconds, the creature would be right on top of her.

The Ursa Major roared one more time as it closed in on Ruby just as she took as deep a breath as she could muster. She then gritted her teeth and yelled as loud as she could. "STOP!"

A headache settled between her temples, and her vision became devoid of color. She saw nothing but the Grimm imposed on a white background, halted before her, staring at her outstretched hand. Her surroundings were white and empty, her peripheral vision static and fuzzy. Her entire body felt energized, like how it felt to use her Semblance multiplied by a hundred. She stared ahead, straight at the beast, which stood and panted, not moving a bit.

White light tumbled from her eyes and past her shoulders as she slowly approached the Creature of Grimm, no sign of fear in her movements. Her hand inched closer to the beast's face, and it soon settled on its muzzle. The Ursa Major did not move or make any noises of protest. It stood at obedient attention.

"Help me, and I will not harm you," Ruby spoke to the Grimm, her voice echoing as if she were at the bottom of a canyon. The beast's growl was quiet, as if expressing understanding.

While keeping her one hand rested on the Grimm's snout and ignoring the gradually worsening pain behind her eyes, she reached her other hand to her belt and pulled from her pouch a shoe. It was a ratty, standard use shoe from the prison her target had escaped from. In fact, the shoe had been worn by the convict as he made his escape, but he lost it not far from where Ruby was now. She picked it up, knowing she might soon find some monster to help her track down the escapee.

Ruby held the shoe under the Grimm's nose. "Take me to the man who smells like this." As she held it there, the beast inhaled the scent and grumbled once again. Ruby took that as an okay, and she put the shoe away. The Grimm then began to turn away from Ruby and started to walk in another direction. Maintaining her focus, Ruby mounted the beast while keeping her hand stretched towards the monster's head. Silver light continued to float from her eyes, and she desperately wanted to release her hold on the Grimm to relieve the now throbbing ache in her head, but she maintained it in order to track down her target. She had hoped she wouldn't have to resort to this to catch the escaped prisoner, but with the Grimm's assistance, Ruby's mission became much simpler. Besides, releasing the monster from her Silver Eyed Trance now would probably result in a much more painful ordeal than the headache she had to suffer through at the moment.

"Faster," she commanded, and the Grimm broke into a run. Ruby stood on its back, placing her hands on the ends of two spikes on its back to stay in place. Wherever the Grimm was leading her, she'd soon find the convict at the end of the line.


	9. Trail Away

**Chapter 8: Trail Away**

By now, Soul had opened every drawer in the room and found nothing of interest; she just found a bunch of clothes and a drawer full of notebooks filled with weapon designs. They were impressive, but they weren't what she had been searching for. Now she leaned against the wall, arms crossed in disappointment. She was almost certain she could find a clue of some sort, but now she felt like she would find nothing. She began putting things back where she had found them, trying to fix the clothing in the drawers so they wouldn't seem like they had been rummaged through.

She was fixing the bottom drawer of one of the nightstands when she noticed something under Ruby's bed. She grabbed a couple of socks from underneath, but then spotted what looked like a book. She pulled it out and studied the cover. It was bound in red leather and displayed no writing. She opened it to find a simple dictation on the first page:  _Rose Chronicle_.

She turned to the second page, and she felt the hair on her neck stand up. She found what she had been searching for. The top of the page read:  _The Powers of the Silver Eye._

* * *

The Silver Eyed Warriors were an ancient tribe of fighters far predating the establishment of the Huntsman Academies, but like the Four Maidens and the Story of the Two Brothers, they had since faded into legend. There were once dozens of men and women with silver eyes, but now, Ruby was the last of them, and she wanted to keep it that way.

About two years ago, Taiyang Xiao Long visited Ruby at her home in Mistral, and he brought a book with him. The book was a journal written by her grandfather, William Rose, and passed down to her mom Summer. The journal detailed every way William Rose had seen the Silver Eye power used, as well as ways he used it. What amazed Ruby about the book was how her mom added onto it. Summer Rose uncovered ways of using her Silver Eyes that had never been shown in William Rose's original entries. The book offered Ruby more information about her Silver Eyes than she ever wanted to know, including how the power is passed down from parent to child.

The first-born to a Silver Eyed parent, or first-born set of twins, will inherit the power, while all subsequent siblings do not. Ruby's father told her that before he and Summer decided to have a baby together, Summer told him that their child would have Silver Eyes. They discussed the fact that their child would be destined to be a Hunter, but they both wanted Yang to have a sibling. And so, Ruby Rose, the last of the Silver Eyed Warriors, was born. From that information, Ruby knew the lineage of the Silver Eyed Warriors was solely on her shoulders, and soon after reading through the book and seeing all the terrifying things Silver Eyed Warriors were capable of, she vowed to never have kids, although that was never something she envisioned herself doing anyway. Ruby felt the world would be fine without Silver Eyed Warriors.

But in the mean time, Ruby decided to teach herself some of her mother's tricks.

_Taming_ was an ability that was far more intriguing to Ruby than much of what the rest of the book detailed. It was a more passive method of manipulating the Creatures of Grimm, and far more useful. She had used it a few times, but because the Silver Eye Powers were always meant for attack and offense, using them in such a defensive way was a physical pain. Ruby would need to stop at the bar on her way home if she expected to feel any better after this.

She and her temporary Grimm ally eventually tracked down the escapee after about ten minutes of traversing. The guy was understandably mortified when he saw a five-foot-two-inch Huntress riding on the back of a huge Grimm charging his way. He surrendered quickly.

Now she was back in the city, in a Mid-Upper Level bar. She came here every now and then; enough for the bartender to recognize her and remember her usual drink. It was called The Shanty, a small bar with a few tables, known for being nothing special. That was the main reason Ruby liked it. It was unassuming, certainly not a place you'd expect to find anyone important.

She rested her arms on the polished wood, staring at the spirit selection from her stool. The bartender was busy pouring her second-shelf rum while she did her best to keep her mind away from her aching head. The place was always dimly lit, which helped, but her head still roared with the after effects of her Taming the Grimm.

"Long day?" The bartender, an attractive young lady named Arbor, asked. Her dark green hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

Ruby sipped her beverage and groaned with a rasp. "No, just a pain."

Arbor huffed a laugh, her orange eyes looking over Ruby's dusty clothing. "You know, I know you're a Huntress, but you have to be the most unique-looking Huntress I ever see around. You're certainly not the type who usually come here."

Ruby scoffed. "What, am I out of my league coming to a shabby place like this? Should I be going to the fancy joints up top?" She shook her head and downed the rest of her drink, exhaling gruffly.

"I meant you seem like...I don't know, you seem like a bigger deal than most Hunters," the woman said, slinging a towel over her shoulder and adjusting the collar of her white button-up shirt. "Just with this air of importance that follows you around."

"Importance?" Ruby laughed as she slid her glass to her. "Honey, I'm as important as...as a..." her head continued to throb, and it derailed her train of thought. "You know, you remind me of someone."

"Do I?" Arbor asked, picking up the glass and beginning to wash it off. Her eyes were trained downward, an ever-present smirk on her face.

"Yeah, but I'm not entirely certain who," Ruby told her, taking close notice of the woman's features, her eyes in particular. Or maybe it was her voice. "I just get the feeling every time I see you that I know you from elsewhere."

"I also wait tables at a restaurant not far from here," Arbor said. "Maybe you know me from there? Typhooners Grill?"

Ruby chuckled and shook her head. "Never been there, no. I guess I saw your face in a dream or something."

The tall woman rolled her eyes. "Dreaming about me, huh?"

"Oh yeah, I'm crazy about you, babe," Ruby joked. As beautiful as Arbor was, she wasn't Ruby's type. "Can I get another? No, whiskey, actually."

"Sure, babe," Arbor joked in return as she turned to grab another bottle from the wall.

Ruby glanced down at the counter top and felt a particularly strong wave of pain overtake her head, and she pressed her hands to her temples in an effort to somehow alleviate the pressure, but she found no reprieve. When Arbor turned back around to face her, a concerned expression crossed her face. "You okay, Huntress?"

"Yeah," Ruby grumbled, gritting her teeth. She tried to raise her head a bit, but that just sent the pain to the base of her skull. "Just...give me my drink." She reached her hand out and Arbor placed a glass of whiskey in her hand.

"You know, I can call you a cab if you need," Arbor offered.

"Don't bother," Ruby shook her head and sipped her drink. "I'll feel fine in a bit."

"Alcohol isn't medicine, you know."

"Maybe not, but it does something, at least." Ruby took a few more sips of her drink before abruptly getting to her feet, which did not help her head. She wobbled for a moment, placing her hand on the bar top for balance, then nodded, looking at the ground. "See? I'm good," she declared to Arbor with a nod before turning to leave. "Just put it on my tab."

"Be safe," Arbor called after her, and she watched her leave.

After a few moments of waiting, the bartender left the bar and found her way to a back room cluttered with cleaning supplies. When she arrived there, she was met with the real Arbor, the completely identical woman still unconscious, just as she had left her. Standing above the unconscious woman was Neo and Lyka.

After making sure the door behind her was closed, the impostor let her guise down. Her illusion faded away, and Emerald stood before her comrades and sighed. "What was the point of this again?" Emerald asked Neo, who was leaning against the wall.

Neo uncrossed her arms and sighed, "You were trying to get information out of her, but you let her leave." Neo shrugged, looking very perturbed with Emerald. "So, I guess there was no point."

Emerald scoffed, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes. She looked at Lyka. "Did you at least plant the device?"

"Yeah." The blond nodded, pulling out their Scroll. On it appeared a map, a red dot indicating Ruby Rose's location. "Wherever she's keeping the Maiden, we'll find out shortly."

Emerald nodded, looking back at Neo to see her still looking pissed. "What?" She asked.

Neo rolled her eyes and pushed past Emerald, leaving the room for the back exit to the bar. Emerald stared at the doorway for a moment, then turned to look at Lyka. "What is her deal lately?" Emerald asked.

"What do you mean 'lately?'" Lyka chuckled, looking to the side. "She's been like this ever since we picked you up."

"Well, I feel just as sour about this whole...arrangement," Emerald admitted, glancing down at the still inert woman on the ground. They probably had about ten more minutes before the drugs would wear off.

"I get it," Lyka nodded. "She just...she told me about something a couple years back. Something about you disrespecting her."

Emerald stared at them, needing a few moment to figure out what Lyka was alluding to. "Disrespecting...oh." She put a hand to her face. "She still hasn't let that go, huh?"

"I don't know what 'that' is." Lyka shrugged.

Emerald sighed, letting her arms fall to her side in exasperation. "We got into an argument way back, something about Salem and sacrifice and all of that. I said something about Roman, and she nearly killed me. That's actually when we parted ways."

Lyka's teeth gritted at the name  _Roman._  It was a very, very familiar name. "I see. Now I understand why she'd be angry with you."

"She needs to let it go. I mean, come on." Emerald shook her head. "I get that Roman was a big deal and whatever, but...she needs to not be such a bitch."

"Maybe you should apologize to her?" Lyka proposed, raising their eyebrows.

Emerald stared at Lyka for a moment before shaking her head. "You know, you'll probably end up just like Neo. Roped into following someone, enough to develop feelings for your boss, and then they're gone."

Lyka scoffed. "My relationship with Neo is strictly professional."

"That's what we all thought was the case with Neo and Roman, but we were wrong." Emerald then winced. "Same with me and Cinder."

Lyka stared at her, remembering back to Neo's recap of who Emerald was and why she was important. Emerald was Cinder Fall's most trusted confidant, someone who not only served the Fall Maiden, but was enamored with her. Of course, that all changed when Cinder began to lose focus, began to lose her sanity. One instance after the next, Cinder defied Salem to greater and greater extent until Salem was left with no choice but to secretly take the Fall Maiden powers from Cinder and reestablish them within Emerald. Neither Cinder nor Emerald knew about it before hand, but while the transfer process was taking place as the two slept, Cinder awoke and realized that she was having her power taken. Emerald had already awoken and had begun to run away, fearing the wrath of Cinder, because in Emerald's mind, she had betrayed her. Cinder pursued her, blind with rage at potentially having her power taken away. Cinder believed Emerald to be the Fall Maiden now, and she was fully willing to kill her to get the power back. Of course, Emerald wasn't the Fall Maiden, at least not completely. The power was somehow split between them, with Cinder retaining most of it.

"I have to ask," Lyka said, looking back toward the door Neo had left through. "What exactly do you plan to do?"

Emerald scoffed, shaking her head. "What do you mean 'what do I plan to do?' Am I not your hostage?"

"We've already been over this," Lyka told her. "We're stringing Salem along by keeping you around with us. You're helping us track down the Summer Maiden in return for us not sending you to Salem. You're not our hostage. You're our ally of circumstance."

"Doesn't seem that different," Emerald shook her head. "But okay, I guess."

Lyka's Scroll beeped a couple times, and on its screen appeared a message from Neo:  _"Let's go find the Maiden."_

The woman still out cold on the floor began to squirm and groan. Lyka looked back up at Emerald and waved for her to follow her out of the building. Once outside, they met Neo and began following the signal of Ruby Rose's tracking device.

Unsurprisingly, she was heading to a home not far from Nikos Academy.

Lyka nodded and looked at Neo. "Guess we know what door we're knocking on tonight."

* * *

Ruby came home too soon for Soul's liking. She was deeply engrossed in this  _Rose Chronicle_  after a couple hours of reading and was just beginning to read a section on "Redeeming" when she heard the slam of the front door. She frantically shoved the book back under the bed and scampered out of Ruby's bedroom in time for Ruby to call for her. "Soul?"

Soul chose not to answer until she was making her way down the staircase. "You're back soon," she said, though she internally cringed at how conspicuous she sounded. Of course she would say that. She was just busy doing a thing Ruby had told her not to do.

"You know," Ruby shrugged and stumbled onto the couch. She then crossed her legs and rested her head back as if she had meant to fall. "It's too easy sometimes."

"Right." Soul paused on the second to last step when she realized that Ruby was very much under the influence of alcohol. Soul thought for a split second that maybe that meant Ruby would not find out about her intrusion in Ruby's room, but she realized that was rather selfish. Ruby being drunk was not to be regarded as some sort of saving grace, especially seeing how she seemed to be in pain. "Are you okay?"

Ruby craned her neck to look at her over the back of the couch, upside-down. "Just a bit of a headache. Work, am I right?"

Soul could not say anything in response. Instead she finished descending the stairs and stepped around the couch. "You're drunk. Could that be a cause?"

"Nope," Ruby shook her head and took a moment to stretch her arms out over her head with a groan. "But I'll say one thing, I..." She sighed. "Okay, Soul, I..." She coughed. "I..." She coughed again. "I wanna say sorry."

"Why?" Soul asked.

"For being..." She waved her hands in front of her face for a few seconds, " _cryptic_  this morning."

Soul shrugged and laughed. "What do you mean?"

"About magic powers. About knowing what you're going through." She sat upright. Her boots hitting the floor made Soul notice they were caked with mud, some of which had been tracked in when Ruby had entered the house. "I was...in a mood. I'll tell you the truth."

There was a distinct change in Soul's mind that moment, a realization that she had screwed up.  _This is going to be about Silver Eyes, isn't it. I betrayed her trust for nothing, then._

"Soul, I..." Ruby sighed. "It's hard to explain to people for the first time, and I know you've probably had it up to here—" she extended her hand above her head "—with crazy magic shit being explained to you, but that's what I gotta do now."

Soul remained stone-faced as she struggled to decide what to do. She  _hated_ keeping secrets, especially when it was a situation where she had been held in good faith and she had tarnished it. But for all Soul knew, admitting she had rummaged through Ruby's stuff would be the end of all of this. Ruby might kick her out of her house and send her to live with Headmaster Ren or someone else. Soul didn't want that. She liked it here. She liked Ruby. She didn't want to lose this.

Which was exactly why she had to tell the truth.

"Soul," Ruby began. "You see these?" She pointed at her eyes.

"Yes," Soul nodded.

"What color are they?"

"Silver." Soul was certain she was silently conveying her understanding to Ruby.

Ruby certainly noticed. "And...do you know what that means?"

"Yes. I do."

Ruby seemed to get it that instant. She leaned forward. "You..." She studied Soul's expression for a moment, then stood up. "You didn't..."

Soul faced her, but chose to stare at her forehead just so she would avoid her metallic gaze. "I...I'm sorry Ruby. I was...too curious to not. Especially after...well, how intriguing you made your room sound."

Ruby glared at her, and even though Soul was avoiding direct eye contact, she felt the urge to completely turn away. "You found my family's book."

"I did," Soul answered immediately. "I know about Silver Eyed Warriors. I know what powers you possess."

Ruby stepped closer to her. It could have been because she wasn't looking directly at her, but Soul could have sworn Ruby had not blinked once since her admission. "Soul, no one not named Rose or Xiao Long has ever even seen that book."

Soul sighed and nodded, the true weight of her mistake slowly falling on her like she were sinking in a river. She hadn't just betrayed Ruby's trust, she had betrayed the sanctity of a family secret.

Ruby was so close now, Soul felt her breath on her neck. "After what I told you, you immediately disobeyed me."

Against her better judgement, Ruby's use of "disobey" struck a nerve, and Soul shot back at her quickly. "Am I supposed to  _obey_  you?"

Ruby finally blinked, and Soul regretted this and every decision she had ever made in her life. She suspected there was a non-zero chance of her dying right now.

Ruby took a deep breath through gritted teeth. "Soul, dammit, if you weren't..." she sighed. "Fucking hell, Soul. What the fuck?"

"I'm sorry," Soul murmured, closing her eyes as if expecting to be struck. "I'm sorry."

She stood there, waiting for Ruby to do  _something_ , but it wasn't until a few seconds that...she felt arms around her shoulders, then a body against hers. She opened her eyes. Ruby was hugging her. "Wh..." Soul struggled for words.

"You looked really fucking scared and you don't have to be," Ruby told her, her face pressed to Soul's shoulder. "Dammit, I'm sorry.  _I'm_ sorry. Gods, the fuck is wrong with me?"

After calming down from the realization that Ruby wasn't going to launch her through the ceiling, she hugged her back. "Ruby, nothing is wrong with you. I—"

"Shut up," Ruby said. "Soul, you did exactly what you were supposed to do. Like, what was I thinking? Leading you on like that...of course you went looking for the book."

Soul shook her head as much as she could with Ruby's head right by her own. "I shouldn't have."

"Why?" Ruby chuckled, and she began to back up from her, now holding her shoulders as she smiled at her. "You..." she laughed. "You immediately ignored me and went snooping around in my room. That was a massive ol' 'Fuck you, Ruby,' huh?"

"That's...not how I intended it," Soul shook her head.

"Doesn't matter." Ruby said, giving Soul a pat on the shoulder before stepping back a bit further. "Especially since I was just about to tell you everything about it anyway." She pointed at her. "You didn't take my shit, and that's good."

Soul looked to the side. "This isn't something I feel I should be commended on."

"I would have done exactly what you did," Ruby told her. "And yeah, getting pissed at you for  _disobeying_  was pretty dickish of me."

Soul looked down, not certain how to respond. "Ruby...I betrayed your trust."

"I still trust you," Ruby assured her. "I trust you to not stab me in the back. I trust you not to abandon me or your mission. Maybe I can't trust you not to eat my last two white chocolate chip cookies, but so what?"

Soul was silent, figuring Ruby would explain further because she felt too confused to contribute to this conversation.

"You didn't eat my last two cookies, though, right?" She asked.

"No," Soul shook her head.

"Good. Anyway, my point is this doesn't actually...hurt. Like, especially since you admitted it to me, immediately after I got home," Ruby smiled at her. "It's alright."

Soul sighed, smiling with gratitude. "Thank you, Ruby."

"How much did you read?" Ruby asked.

Soul chuckled, looking down for a moment. "Uhm...some of the parts by William Rose. I didn't read a lot."

"So you didn't get to the section about Maidens, huh?"

Soul felt her heart skip a beat as she looked up at Ruby. "The part about Maidens?"

"Yeah," Ruby smiled, though she looked more agitated than anything. She scratched the back of her head. "Soul, there's something you need to know about my powers, and how they might affect you."

Soul blinked a couple times. "Affect  _me_?"

"Yeah..." Ruby nodded, sitting back down on the couch, resting her elbows on her knees. "You see...well, without getting into the gross details of it, Magic, by it's very nature, is a Dark force. It was—" she hiccuped, but she didn't pause to acknowledge it. "It was created by the God of Darkness. Your Maiden powers are the purest form of Magic still remaining on this planet. What you wield is the purest form of Darkness on Remnant."

Soul tried to inhale, but her lungs refused to fill very much. "Okay. I don't like how that sounds."

"Yeah, but it's true," Ruby sighed and shrugged, then coughed. "And, well, Magic is also what gives us Semblance. Faunus and Humans are born with equal parts Light and Darkness. The Light is...well, our lives, and the Darkness is our Semblance. So if it makes you feel a bit better, you still have Light in you, and everyone has a bit of Darkness."

"Trying to make me feel better won't work right now," Soul told her, unable to refrain from laughing from the dark humor in her own words. "But go on."

"Okay, so Maidens wield a powerful form of Darkness. Meanwhile, me and my Silver Eyes," she pointed at her face. "I have the purest form of Light. My Silver Eyes were a result of a power bestowed upon my ancestors by the God of Light himself. It is the Anti-Magic, the Anti-Darkness, the Anti-Grimm."

Soul understood. In that very moment, she understood exactly what Ruby was getting at. She was Magic, and Ruby was Anti-Magic. "You could kill me if you wanted."

"I could kill you on accident, is what I'm saying," Ruby corrected.

"That's...worse," Soul stammered.

"Soul, I would never hurt you. I promise." Ruby reached out toward Soul's hand, and Soul gingerly allowed her to hold it. "I'm telling you that when I'm with you, I will not use my Silver Eyes. Even if we're surrounded by a million Grimm, I won't do it."

Soul sighed and squeezed Ruby's hand, but every fiber of her being begged her to run away, up the stairs and into her room, maybe to cry, maybe to scream. She remained, though, because she needed Ruby right now. "Ruby..."

"Yes?"

"I'm..." her mouth remained open as she struggled to find words, but she didn't speak until she began to cry. "Ruby, I'm so scared." Her lungs heaved as she descended into a fit of sobs. Her watering eyes obstructed her view of Ruby as the Huntress stood up. "I'm...I don't know what to do..."

Ruby took her by the forearm and guided her to the couch. She rested her arm on Soul's shoulders and invited her to lie her head on her. "It's okay," Ruby assured her. "I know this is too much."

Soul inhaled, trying to fill her lungs without interruption, but she instead dissolved into more sobbing and coughing. She had been wanting to do this for so long, but finally the emotion and anxiety was finally strong enough to send her tumbling over the edge. "It  _is_  too much..." She embraced Ruby's waist and buried her face in her shoulder. "I don't...I don't want to die."

Ruby reached a hand up and placed it under Soul's chin, bringing her face up so they could make eye contact. Soul blinked her tears out of her eyes in order to see clearly. "Soul," Ruby said, her voice low but not quite a whisper. "I will protect you, with every bit of my life, I will keep you safe."

Soul stared at her, feeling a small pang of hope in her chest, but her doubt was ever present. "But—"

"And that's not just because you're the Summer Maiden," Ruby told her. "I will protect you no matter what because you deserve so much more than what you've gotten, Soul. Everything that I and the rest of the Sisterhood have to put you through is not what you deserve. You deserve to be happy and I can't do that for you. But I can promise to keep you safe, okay?"

Soul began to cry with even more intensity at hearing Ruby's words. "Dammit, why do you care so much?"

"I told you last night. You're just like me."

"I'm not like you, Ruby." Soul shook her head. "I'm terrified, Ruby. I'm not brave like you."

"I'm terrified, too," Ruby assured her. "I hide it because I'm used to it."

Soul shook her head again. "How are we the same?"

"I told you already. You're just like me because you'd be there for me, sacrifice for me, protect me, even though you barely know me. Even if you're absolutely terrified, you'd help me. You would do all of that and so would I."

"How are you so fucking sure I would?!"

"Because I see it, Soul!" Ruby told her. "I see it when you look at me. You're just like me. You fall in love way too easily, just like me."

"What?" Soul asked. "What are you—"

"Dammit, Soul, dammit, you don't get it," Ruby now started to cry. "I don't get it. I don't fucking cry, but if it means you realize..."

"Are you falling in love with me?" Soul asked.

"It's too soon to accuse me of that." Ruby shook her head. "I just want...I just want you with me, okay? Maybe I'm just...a fucking...dammit, I..." She put a hand to her face. Soul could hear her grinding her teeth. "Gods, I'm...this is too much."

Soul felt like roles had flipped. It felt like her job was to be there for Ruby now. "I know how you feel."

"I'm fine. I'm overloaded. I'm fine." Ruby was shivering. Her voice was monotone, as if her words were text instead of speech. "Too much going through my head. I need to sit and chill."

Soul held her wrist. "I've got you, okay?"

"Don't touch me, it doesn't help."

Soul flinched and separated herself from her. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Thank you." She closed her eyes and sat upright. She exhaled. "Gods, I miss Weiss. She'd sing to me when this would happen."

Soul felt a lump in her throat at the mention of Ruby's ex. "I'm sorry."

"I'm fine," Ruby repeated and continued to shake.

Soul looked her over and gritted her teeth. "I..." she muttered, looking away from Ruby for a second, then back at her. "I can sing for you."

Ruby laughed and shook her head. "You don't have to do that. I'm fine."

Soul ignored her, choosing to start singing for her anyway. She was by no means a trained singer, but every now and then it would net some Lien on street corners. She sang a common lullaby, something she would sing to herself when she was back home in her shack, struggling to sleep because of the distant noise of the city:

_"Trail away, trail away,  
The sun will shine again today,  
Night is black but comforts you,  
Dream a dream, a life anew.  
_ _Trail away, trail away,_  
The sun will shine today."

The song worked. Ruby was no longer shaking. She was still crying, but smiling. "How'd you know I respond well to lullabies? Because of how childish I am?"

The last thing Soul ever took Ruby for was "childish." "Of course not," Soul defended. "I sing that to myself sometimes. It always helps me."

Ruby hummed and leaned forward, rubbing tears from her face and leaning her elbows on her knees again. She sighed and chuckled. "See?" She rubbed her face again. "I'm like you."

Soul exhaled and leaned forward, setting her forehead on Ruby's shoulder. "Ruby, I...you...you know what I mean when I...I won't abandon you just because I'm scared."

"I know."

"I just...I needed to cry about it."

"I know."

"And I...I'll do everything I can, okay? I'll be the Summer Maiden and help you do whatever it is I'm supposed to do."

"I know you will, Soul." She turned her head to look at her, smiling. "I always knew you would."

Soul smiled and placed a hand on her back. "I feel like...I need a nap."

"Me too," Ruby agreed.

"Want to..." Soul felt her face heat up a bit. "Join me, I guess?"

Ruby grinned but shook her head. "Soul, I can't sleep. Like, it'll be 4 a.m. before I'll even feel sleepy."

Soul wilted, embarrassed with having offered. "I'm sorry, I just...felt like you would...that you and I—"

"I didn't say I wouldn't join you, though," Ruby told her. "Just because I won't sleep doesn't mean I don't want to join you."

"But if you're not even tired—"

"I am tired. I just won't fall asleep," She sat up, smiling at Soul. "But you can sleep, and I'll be there with you. I'll...watch out, be the look out," she chuckled and shrugged. "Keep you safe, like I said."

Soul smiled, feeling herself blush again, but in a way that was welcome. "Thanks, Ruby. I'd like that."

Ruby stood to her feet and offered a hand. "My bed?"

Soul stared at her hand for a moment. "Oh, uh...I figured we'd just...on the couch..."

Ruby laughed. "You won't fall asleep on this couch, I guarantee that." She shrugged as she extended her hand a bit further. "Also, I'm actually inviting you into my room now, like, for reassurance, because of the whole 'sneaking into my room' thing earlier."

Soul scoffed and huffed a laugh. "Okay, I get it." She took Ruby's hand and stood to her feet, and they began on their way up to Ruby's bedroom.

Soul stood in the doorway as Ruby went to the window to pull the curtains closed. Ruby then turned and chuckled at her. "You may enter," she said.

Soul shrugged as she stepped into the room. "Sorry. Just making sure."

Ruby smiled and stepped over to her. She placed her hands on her shoulders, causing Soul to flinch in her spot and look into Ruby's eyes. "You're cute, you know that?" Ruby told her.

Soul huffed a laugh and looked down for a moment. "Cute because I'm so unsure of myself all the time?"

"For whatever reason, you just are," Ruby assured her. "Hey, I actually need a shower, so..." she nodded towards her bed. "You can go ahead and try to get some sleep. I'll join you in a bit."

Soul laughed. "I thought you were going to be my look-out."

Ruby smiled and shrugged, then stepped closer and kissed her cheek. Soul make a shallow gasp as Ruby whispered in her ear. "That'll make up for it, maybe."

"Oh..." Soul murmured as Ruby stepped back and beamed at her. It was just a quick kiss on the cheek, but it was a step further than Soul had been expecting. Sharing a bed with Ruby had seemed like the limit to how intimate they would be today, and she had no words to sufficiently respond to Ruby's actions.

Ruby smirked and began to turn towards her bathroom. "I figured it would." She opened the door to the bathroom. "There're PJs in the bottom left drawer of my dresser if you'd like some."

Soul had been staring at the wall, trying to grasp the kiss she had received. "Yeah. Thank you." Her response was a semiconscious one.

Ruby laughed and stepped into her bathroom. "Rest well, Soul." She closed the door behind her.

It was quickly apparent that no amount of staring at a wall would help Soul understand this reality, the reality that Ruby had kissed her on the cheek. More so than she had realized before, Soul was severely touch-starved. The hugs and hands on her shoulders were enough, but Ruby's lips against her cheek was truly an unexpected blessing. Instead of trying to process it, Soul chose to smile about it as she got ready to sleep.

Ruby's selection of nightwear included several tank tops and pajama bottoms. Soul wouldn't mind wearing a tank top to bed, but wearing pants sounded far too uncomfortable. Ruby had no shorts available, so Soul chose to forgo wearing bottoms. She was certain Ruby wouldn't mind sharing a bed with her either way. She put on a white tank top with a red rose on the front (Did Ruby have her own personal line of merchandise or something?) and climbed into Ruby's bed.

Her bed was softer than anything Soul had ever lied on before. She must've had a foam mattress or something of the sort, but whatever it was, Soul felt like she was already falling asleep. The warm bedding and blankets only sped up the process. She had wanted to stay awake long enough for Ruby to join her, but if Ruby's bed was going to be this comfortable, she wasn't going to try to fight it.

She would have had a lot to think about at this moment, and it all would have kept her awake, but all Soul really had on her mind was the kiss Ruby had given her. Instead of worrying about being Summer Maiden or Silver Eyes or anything else, Soul kept reliving the kiss in her mind over and over until at last, she dozed off and began to catch up on the sleep she had lost the night before.


	10. Break In

**Chapter 9: Break In**

Even with the shower running, Ruby heard the noise from outside.

She ignored it the first time, what sounded like a distant  _bang!_ from elsewhere in the house. She wrote it off as just a random noise, but the second time was a bit louder, and Ruby knew whatever it was, it had to be deliberate. She shut off the water for the moment and stepped out of the shower. Despite being dripping wet, she walked across the tile floor to look out the window, just to see if she would locate the source of the noise. She pushed the blinds apart and peered down toward her front door.

Someone was at her door, with a reeeeeally long staff, ramming it against her door, trying to break it down.

"What the f—" Ruby was cut off by the perpetrator successfully bashing her door in. The hooded person ran into her house, followed by another person who had been hiding around the corner of her house.

"Shit," Ruby cursed. She ran over to her clothes, piled in a heap in the corner of the bathroom, but she quickly understood she had no time to get dressed. She threw on a bathrobe instead, forgoing decency to protect her herself and Soul. She burst from the bathroom, and without even checking to see if Soul was even awake, yelled "Someone broke in!"

"HAHH!" Soul screamed, sitting upright. Ruby was out of the room and running down the stairs before Soul said anything else.

Ruby had no clue who these people were, but whoever the first person was, they were about to get clobbered. Ruby spotted the hooded figure, flared her Aura, and use her Superspeed to rocket towards them. The next split second, Ruby had the person pinned to the wall in the living room. "Big mistake breaking into this house!" She taunted, pushing the person's hood back.

They had short and curly blond hair. Ruby didn't recognize them, but...

"Ruby Rose," the very, very short individual spoke, making eye contact with her.

Ruby was aware of the person standing behind her, but for some reason, that person made no move at her. Ruby could sense her just standing there. "Who are you," Ruby asked, not looking away from the person she had pinned to the wall, figuring that would be a mistake.

"We want to talk," the person answered. "Just talk."

"Then why did you break into my house? I have a Scroll."

Ruby felt the person behind her place a hand on her shoulder, and Ruby immediately grabbed it and yanked the second person in front of her. She pinned them both to the wall easily, probably because they weren't trying to fight back. Ruby pushed the second person's hood back and...

"Neo?" Ruby murmured.

The short (but somehow not as short as her blond haired partner) woman rolled her eyes. Ruby tightened her grip on them both. "Why are you here? Like, seriously."

Neo signed and her partner interpreted. "We're here to make a deal."

"You don't break into someone's house to negotiate," Ruby sighed, then let go of both of them since they weren't a threat, at least not at the moment. "Like...seriously! I was taking a fucking shower."

"Ruby?"

The Silver Eyed huntress felt her heart sink. She should have told Soul not to leave her room. She turned to see the Summer Maiden standing halfway down the staircase, clad in a tank top and underwear. She was frozen at the sight of the intruders, though she seemed unsure whether she should be worried or not. "Who are these people?" She asked, voice shaking.

"Friends of mine," Ruby answered, chuckling. "You can go back to my room."

"Who's this?" The blond shorty asked.

Ruby turned to look at them. "My wife. She's a hair stylist and race car driver."

"What...?" Soul whispered.

Neo's partner actually laughed. Neo seemed annoyed (which wasn't new). She signed, "Can we sit down?"

Ruby stepped back a bit, then glanced at her busted in door, then glanced back up at Soul, who hadn't moved. "Yeah, sure. Please excuse my attire. This is exactly how I always dress."

The blond laughed again. Neo batted them on the shoulder. "Thanks," she signed.

Ruby turned toward Soul again. "Go back to the room, okay?"

Soul, understandably, seemed to want to know more about what was going on, but she agreed and ascended the staircase, not once looking away from Neo and her confidant. Ruby would have loved to stare as the half-dressed Faunus left, but she was more concerned with what-the-fuck-ever was going on right now.

Ruby sat down on her easy chair as she heard her bedroom door shut. Neo and her friend sat on the couch. "Who's this?" Ruby asked, gesturing towards blond.

"Lyka," they answered. "I'm Neo's protégé and interpreter. My pronouns are they and them."

"Can I call you Neo Jr.?" Ruby asked them.

"What?" Lyka asked.

Neo extended a hand between them to cut them both off, then signed, "We have important business to discuss with you, if you'd be interested."

"Oh, certainly," Ruby nodded. "I'd love to discuss business, just lemme get the door. Oh wait," she shrugged.

Neo scoffed and continued. "We know you're looking for Maiden's, we take it?"

"Oh geez, well," Ruby shrugged again, crossing her legs. "I'm a bit of a Maiden enthusiast. Still looking for the full set, yeah."

Neo was becoming increasingly irritated, which was exactly what Ruby was going for. "We have—"

"How's the bounty hunting life treating you?" Ruby interrupted. "I mean, you basically do the same things I do, except I have credentials."

"Can you let her finish?" Lyka interrupted her.

Ruby regarded the curly haired enby was a smirk. "Yeah, yeah, I'll let her finish."

"We have the Fall Maiden," Neo stated.

Ruby was no longer feeling playful. She stood to her feet, eyes darting around the room. "You brought Cinder here? What the fuck, what the fuck—"

"Not Cinder," Neo corrected. "Cinder is dead. We have her successor."

"WHAT THE FUCK, CINDER IS DEAD?!" Ruby screamed, hands on the sides of her head. "REAL SHIT?!"

"Please close your robe," Neo requested.

Ruby did so while stammering on. "The fuck...the...Cinder is dead and I...fuck, she's  _dead_..." She was pacing now. "Oh man...I'm...ohhhh man...real shit?"

"Real shit," Neo answered.

"Did she like...Fall to her death?" Ruby asked. She was feeling playful again.

"Oh my gods," Lyka murmured.

"I'm quite delighted," Ruby nodded. "And you said you have the current Fall Maiden with you now?"

"Maybe," Neo nodded. "It depends on how much money you have."

"I have 3 Lien and I will kiss you, is that enough?" Ruby asked.

"Please be serious," Neo begged.

Ruby was beaming,  _glowing_ with joy. Cinder Fall was a dead motherfucker, which was wonderful, wonderful news for Ruby to hear. One less thing to have anxiety attacks over. "I'm  _dead_ serious."

"Oh my gods," Lyka repeated.

Neo stood to her feet and pointed at Ruby. "We will leave with the Fall Maiden if you don't take this seriously."

"Aww, but you already broke my door down," Ruby whined.

Lyka stood and put a hand on Neo's shoulder while the silent bounty hunter squeezed the bridge of her nose. "Ruby Rose, we have the Fall Maiden. If you give us 200,000 Lien, we will leave her with you."

"Two hundred grand?!" Ruby scoffed. "First off, I don't like the idea of paying for a person. Like, you two hear what I'm saying, right?"

"It's a ransom. She's our prisoner." Lyka explained. "We will release her to you if you pay us the two hundred thousand."

"My offer of three Lien and a kiss still stands."

"199 thousand and kiss," Lyka jokingly countered.

"You'd give up a thousand Lien for a kiss?" Ruby laughed.

Neo waved her hands violently, then placed a firm hand on Ruby's shoulder, looking at her with fiery red eyes. She signed with her free hand. "200 grand or we leave. Yes or no?"

"I mean," Ruby shrugged. "I would like to see her to prove she's actually the Fall Maiden and not just a random chick with red eye shadow on."

Despite being mute, Neo could sigh like the most violently annoyed person in Remnant. "Seriously, why would I lie to you. How long have we known each other?"

"Since you tried to murder me," Ruby answered.

"Fuck. Fine," Neo waved her hands and signed toward Lyka. Lyka turned and yelled. "Alright, come in!"

"She's just been waiting outside this whole time?" Ruby asked, then when she saw who entered her house, she once again had to take a moment to scream. "EMERALD FUCKIN' SUSTRAI!"

The green haired girl winced as she approached Neo and Lyka. She was dressed in a white t-shirt and brown pants. "Yeah. Hi, Ruby."

"DID YOU KILL CINDER?!" Ruby asked.

Emerald winced a bit harder. "No..."

"She was simply the one in Cinder's final thoughts," Neo explained. "Now, Emerald, if you could prove you're the Fall Maiden..."

Emerald nodded, exhaling. "Okay." She extended a hand out in front of herself, and a small flame appeared just above the palm of her hand. Green light poured from her eyes, the tell-tale sign of a Maiden.

Ruby nodded. "Well, okay. Certainly seems like you're the Fall Maiden."

"So," Lyka said. "Do we have a deal?"

"Hell no," Ruby shook her head.

All three of the other people in her living room flinched in surprise. "No?" Neo signed.

"Do you think I'm fucking stupid?" Ruby asked.

"Ruby Rose," Lyka said. "What are you—"

"I mean, come on." Ruby laughed, reaching out and holding Neo by the shoulders. "You silly illusionist you, thought I would forget that your Semblance literally tricks people into seeing things. Seriously?"

"I'm not tricking you," Neo defended, shaking her head. "Emerald really is the Fall Maiden."

"I really am," Emerald added.

Ruby smiled at Emerald now. "Your Semblance kinda does the same thing. Come on now."

"She  _is_ the Fall Maiden," Lyka told Ruby.

"I have a good way of proving that." Ruby nodded, backing away from Neo. She turned to face Emerald. "Not gonna do much, just a little Silver Eye burst."

Pure fear appeared in Emerald's eyes. She waved her hands in front of herself. "Ruby, seriously, I'm the Fall Maiden, don't use your Silver Eyes on me!"

"It won't hurt, just might sting if you are the real deal," Ruby assured her. "Just stand still."

"Ruby, she's the Fall Maiden!" Lyka yelled.

"Don't hurt me!" Emerald begged.

Neo was the one to shove Ruby down. Ruby was expecting someone to eventually do that. She now lied on the ground, having to adjust her robe to cover herself. "What was that for?" She asked.

"If you're going to call me a liar, then we're leaving," Neo threatened "Maybe Salem will meet our demands."

"Alright, alright, chill the fuck out," Ruby sighed, pushing herself back to her feet. "I know she's the Fall Maiden."

Neo stared and her blankly, while Lyka rolled their eyes. "Then what was all of that just now?"

"A test," Ruby admitted. "When I threatened to use my Silver Eyes, Emerald was legitimately scared, so yeah, I know for sure now."

"Fuck you," Emerald spat.

"Yes?" Ruby asked. "You know, I had the biggest crush on you back at Beacon?"

Emerald did nothing but roll her eyes in response.

"So?" Lyka asked.

Neo signed. "200 grand?"

"I'm not paying that," Ruby answered, shaking her head.

"Then we're taking Emerald with us," Neo responded.

"And what if she doesn't want to go with you?" Ruby asked. "She's the Fall Maiden. How are you going to keep her prisoner?"

"We have our ways," Neo answered.

Ruby looked over at Emerald and shrugged. "Wanna stay here with me?"

"Ruby, you have to pay them," she answered.

"Why don't you just throw them a few miles with your powers?" Ruby asked.

"I don't know how to use my powers," Emerald told her.

"Pay up," Neo demanded, losing her patience.

"How about I just fight you two, and whoever wins gets the young Maiden's hand?" Ruby offered.

Lyka, somehow, made a staff appear from thin air, and with one swift swing of it at Ruby, they froze her in a block of ice from the waist down.

Ruby looked down at the ice binding her lower body and sighed. "Fine. But I left my wallet in my other bathrobe."

"I'll find it for you," Lyka offered, beginning to make their way to the staircase.

"Don't go in my room," Ruby told her. "My wife will kick your ass."

"I'll freeze her," Lyka countered, beginning up the stairs.

"Don't," Ruby said, serious. "Like, please don't."

Lyka stopped halfway up the stairs. "Tell me where to find your wallet and I won't."

"Top drawer in the nightstand," Ruby told her.

"Thanks," They continued up the stairs.

"Wait!" Ruby yelled.

"What?" Lyka asked.

"Unfreeze my coochie!" Ruby demanded.

Lyka groaned and waved their staff. Some fire flew in her direction, which melted the ice enough for Ruby to step out of it and onto the carpet. "Thanks." Ruby murmured, but Lyka had already disappeared upstairs. She turned to see Neo sitting on the sofa, picking a flask up off the coffee table.

"What happened to you?" Neo signed, and Emerald interpreted.

Ruby scoffed. "Oh, an important person I looked up to died several years ago." She snapped her fingers. "Hey, that's something all of us here can relate to, huh?"

Neo and Emerald were not pleased to hear her say that, both glaring at her.

"What?" Ruby asked.

Lyka returned from upstairs, Ruby's wallet in hand. "Your  _wife_ is cute," they complimented.

"Hey, watch it," Ruby pointed at them. "I'm not gonna let you charm her with your diminutive size and ambiguous appearance."

"Chill out," Lyka murmured and tossed the wallet to Ruby. "Count out our payment."

"You think I have 200 thousand Lien just on me?" Ruby asked.

"We accept checks," Lyka said.

Ruby sighed and shook her head. She pulled a checkbook from her wallet. "I don't think my friends are gonna like this when they hear about it."

"What's not to like?" Neo asked. Lyka was interpreting again. "You have the Fall Maiden."

"Yeah, but I had to pay a ransom for her," Ruby shrugged. "Kinda...I don't know, cowardly."

"You're outnumbered. You're being reasonable," Neo said.

"Oh boy, I feel better about myself now, thanks." Ruby extended a written check to Neo. "There."

Neo looked down at it, and her eyebrows knitted and she shook her head. "'Three Lien and a kiss.'"

"Just kidding, here's the real check," Ruby giggled, handing her a second one.

"199 thousand Lien and a kiss," Neo facepalmed.

"Your friend offered," Ruby shrugged. "Any chance to save a thousand Lien works for me."

"I'm not actually interested in kissing you, Ruby Rose," Lyka muttered.

Ruby whined. "Is it because I'm not pretty enough?"

"200 thousand Lien," Neo stated.

"Alright, alright," Ruby grumbled, wrote a legit check, and handed it to Neo. "What bank do bounty hunters use?"

"None of your business," Neo said, tucking the check away in her pocket. She gestured to Emerald. "She's all yours."

"Oh, goody," Ruby said.

Neo and Lyka began on their way. "Also, when you do tell your friends how you acquired the Fall Maiden," Lyka said. "Don't tell them it was us."

Ruby flashed them a thumbs up. "Totes."

Neo and Lyka left without another word.

Ruby looked over at Emerald and smiled. "That check is gonna bounce."

"Neo will get her money somehow," Emerald sighed, crossing her arms.

Ruby tossed her wallet onto the couch and walked up to Emerald. "So, tell me the story."

Emerald refused to look at her, shaking her head. "I don't want to tell the story."

"I just want to know how Cinder died," Ruby shrugged.

"I don't know how she died," Emerald murmured. "I just...can't you show me to a bedroom or something. It's been a long day and I'm tired."

"You need to go through Fall Maiden Orientation, though," Ruby told her.

"I'm not going to be your little pawn," Emerald grumbled. "I'm just happy to be away from Salem. If you think I'm going to help you find the Relic of Choice, you're wrong."

Ruby shrugged. "Hey, you're right. I'm happy you're away from Salem, too." She waved for her to follow, leading her toward the staircase. "I only have one more spare room."

"Who was that other girl?" Emerald asked as she followed. "I didn't figure you'd ever get married."

Ruby snorted and laughed. "I was joking, oh my gods."

"So that wasn't your wife," Emerald muttered.

"Heck no, I mean, not yet, you know what I mean?"

"So you two are dating?" Emerald asked.

"Ehh..." Ruby chuckled, blushing and rubbing the back of her neck. She stopped by the door to the guest room Soul had slept in the night before. "It's complicated."

"She's a Maiden, isn't she?"

Ruby felt like she had been punched in the gut. She had not wanted to tell Emerald since she knew she might not be trustworthy, but Emerald was too intuitive to be fooled. Ruby sighed and opened the door to the bedroom for her. "She could be."

"Wow," Emerald nodded. "So now you have three."

Hearing that was the first time Ruby realized that, yeah, they had THREE MAIDENS now. "Holy shit, we have three Maidens."

"So what are you going to do when you get all four?" Emerald asked.

"Confidential," Ruby shook her head, waving Emerald into the room. "Like I said, Fall Maiden Orientation, but first, get some sleep."

Emerald entered the bedroom, turning to look back at Ruby. "You have a plan, right?"

"A plan for what?" Ruby asked.

"A plan to defeat Salem."

Ruby sighed, looking to the side for a moment. "I mean..." She inhaled. "It's a work in progress."

Emerald rolled her eyes. "Good night, Ruby." She turned toward the bed.

Ruby shrugged, exhaling. "Yeah." She shut the door.

Ruby didn't feel very good now thanks to Emerald's question. It wasn't that they didn't have a plan. They did. It was just...it wasn't a plan Ruby really liked.

Especially now that...

Ruby opened the door to her bedroom and was immediately hugged by Soul, who squeezed her tight. "Is everything okay?" She asked. "I was so scared."

Ruby hugged her back, leaning her forehead against her. "It's okay. In fact, we've acquired another Maiden."

Soul gasped and stepped back. "Another Maiden?"

Ruby nodded. "She's sleeping in your room. Her name's Emerald. You'll meet her in the morning."

Soul blinked a couple times. "Then...where am I sleeping?"

Ruby smiled, gesturing towards her bed. "I mean...where else?"

Soul smiled. "Thank you." She took a deep breath. "I was...kind of hoping you'd say that."

The way she looked to the side, the tiniest of smiles on her face, made Ruby forget what had been worrying her. At least she had Soul. Right now, she had her.

She hoped she would have her for a long time.

"Soul?" Ruby murmured.

She looked her in the eyes. "Yes?"

Ruby stepped forward and hugged her again. "I promise to keep you safe."

Soul hugged her back, closing her eyes. "I'll keep you safe, too."

Ruby smiled against Soul's shoulder. She had a scent to her, not a bad one, but she could probably use a shower. "If you'd like to shower now, you can."

"We won't have any more break ins, will we?" Soul asked, kind of joking, but Ruby could tell she was still a little rattled by what had just happened.

Ruby giggled. "We won't. Well...I should probably fix the front door."

"Sounds like a good idea," Soul nodded.

Ruby reached down and pinched her bottom.

Soul flinched and yelped. "H-Hey!" She back away, rubbing her backside, her face red. "What the hell was that for?"

Ruby grinned. "What, you're just standing here in your underwear and I'm supposed to  _not_ pinch your cute butt?"

That made Soul's blushing and stammering even worse. "Wha...how...what're you talking about...?"

Ruby giggled and waved her hand. "Just take your shower, cutie. I'll be downstairs fixing the door."

Soul crossed her arms, trying to seem angry but only making herself seem even more flustered. "F-Fine..."

Ruby turned to leave the room, but just before she was about to close the door, she felt a poke on her backside. "Hey!" She exclaimed, laughing and looking back at Soul.

Soul smirked, still blushing. "Revenge." She stuck her tongue out at her, then waved.

Ruby stuck her tongue out at her back, then closed the door. She stood there for a moment, still enjoying the playful moment she just shared with Soul, but...then again, leaving the room and being alone again only made her feel anxious again, about the Sisterhood's plan, about Soul's safety, about everything. By the time she made it down the stairs, she was right back to worrying.

A draft blew in through her doorless front entryway. Ruby heaved the wooden door off the floor and back into the door frame, and using some tools and glue, she fixed the deadbolt and was able to lock the door. She would need a new door, but she'd handle that tomorrow.

She stood up straight and sighed, looking around the room for a moment. She spotted a few photographs had fallen off the wall when she had pinned Lyka and Neo against it. (She was kinda surprised none of them asked about the photographs literally everywhere). Ruby picked up the three pictures and looked at them for a moment.

One was of her and the rest of Team RNJR, all (except Ren) making silly faces. The second was a photo of Blake's parents. The third was a picture of Ilia, Blake's friend, and her girlfriend, a rabbit Faunus whose name Ruby couldn't remember. Ruby sighed as she placed the photos back into place. She missed all of these times. Everything seemed so simple back then compared to now. Sure, the world was pretty shitty and Ruby had gone through a lot of bad times, but...

She wandered over to the end table and picked up the flask Neo had handled earlier. She shook it a bit, a little liquid still left over from whenever she had last used it. She was bout to take off the cap, but then...

It was like a soft, warm breeze, washing over her body, weaving through her chest, lifting her a bit. She closed her eyes and sighed, knowing what she was feeling wasn't her natural emotions, but it sure beat whatever this mystery alcohol would do. Ruby looked up to see Soul standing atop the staircase, leaning a bit on the handrail, her stripes glowing white as she used her Semblance to alter Ruby's emotions, making her feel happier.

"Thank you," Ruby murmured, setting the flask back down on the table.

Soul smiled, her stripes fading back to black, but the good feeling within Ruby seemed to linger. "Anytime you need me, okay?" Soul asked.

Ruby smiled, nodding. "Thank you." She took a deep breath and let it out. "Did you need anything?"

"I can't figure out how your shower works," Soul admitted.

"Oh," Ruby giggled, making her way up to her. "Yeah, it's...like...yeah, I'll help."


End file.
